Serpentine wind turbine

ABSTRACT

Multiple horizontal axis type rotors are coaxially attached along the upper section of an elongate torque transmitting tower/driveshaft, The tower/driveshaft projects upward from a cantilevered bearing means, and is bent downwind, until the rotors become sufficiently aligned with the wind to rotate the entire tower/driveshaft, Power is drawn from the shaft at the base. Surface mount, subsurface mount, and marine installations, including a sailboat, are disclosed. Blade-to-blade lashing, and vertical axis rotor blades may also be included. Vertical and horizontal axis type rotor blades may be interconnected along the length of the tower/driveshaft to form a structural lattice, and the central shaft may even be eliminated. Aerodynamic lifting bodies or tails, buoyant lifting bodies, buoyant rotor blades, and methods of influencing the tilt of the rotors, can help elevate the structure. This wind turbine can have as few as one single moving part.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to the field of extracting usableenergy from a moving fluid, more particularly to windmills.

2. Prior Art

The basic design of windmills, whether for grinding grain, pumpingwater, or generating electricity, has not significantly changed inhundreds of years. A stationary vertical tower supports a single upwindhorizontal-axis rotor, which may drive a load either directly, or, moreusually, through a mechanical transmission. The traditional windmilltower is rigid, with many historical examples actually being made ofstone. A single large rotor served well on these early machines, since alarge rotor spins slowly with high torque, perfect for turning a stoneto grind grain. The mass of such a large rotor, combined with theprimitive state of technology of the day, precluded a seriousconsideration of a flexible tower.

Currently, the “single large rotor” design still prevails, despite thefact that today's electrical generators require a much higher rotationalrate than yesterday's grindstone. Excessive bending deflection of thetower on these modern windmills is seen as sloppy, inefficient, and evendangerous. The axis of rotation of the rotor is perpendicular to thetower, so excessive bending of the tower would tend to reduce theincident angle of the wind on the disk of the rotor, reducing theeffective swept area. With their hard mounting, the huge rotors andgargantuan machinery that supports them do not take kindly to beingshaken about, due to stresses caused by inertial, vibrational, andcoriolis type forces. The rigidity of the tower therefore protects themachinery from excessive wear or damage. Often, at the price ofaesthetic clutter and reduced utility of the land below, guy wires areused to further stabilize the rigid tower. This basic prior art designhas been slowly refined over the centuries, by improvements in towerconstruction, blade design, transmissions, materials science, controlsystems, etc. Current models, however, normally used for generatingelectricity, are still only barely feasible from an economic standpoint.The rigid, vertical tower is often the most expensive component of awind turbine. Since wind velocity increases with height, and availablepower is proportional to the wind speed cubed, a taller tower willresult in more power collected. Usually the rigid tower must be strongenough to support not only the huge rotor, but the driveshaft,generator, and associated gearbox as well, in addition to bladefeathering mechanisms, yaw control apparatus for directional guidance,and associated electronics and auxiliary mechanisms, commonly weighingmany tons. Access for maintenance personnel, such as an interiorstairway or ladder, is often built-in. Erection and even maintenance ofsuch an unwieldy wind energy conversion system often requires a craneand other expensive equipment, to lift the heavy machine components toand from the top of the tower. Deaths have resulted from accidentsduring these procedures.

The idea that the bending deflection which a tower is so naturallyinclined to undergo could be embraced and utilized as advantageous,rather than avoided as a flaw, or minimized as an undesirablecharacteristic, has not yet found a place in modern windmill design.Despite a general feeling among many designers that there “must be abetter way”, alternatives to the “standard model” have thus far provennot to be cost-effective. Aside from the vertical axis designs, such asthose of Darrieus, nobody is yet successfully thinking “out of the box”so to speak. Designers have been as yet unable to break away from thetraditional, basic, medieval design. As we begin a new millenium, thestationary, rigid windmill tower, a veritable relic of the stone age,with its azimuthally adjustable cap, having a geared mechanism with ahorizontal driveshaft, supporting a single large upwind rotor, asdeveloped in the middle ages, yet persists.

Once the decision is made to erect such an expensive rigid tower, itbecomes important to maximize the size and efficiency of the rotor so asto justify this high cost. The decision to use a single large rotor,rather than many small rotors, is based on a desire for simplicity, andeconomy of scale, but results in a whole new series of expenses: First,the circular area subtended by a spinning rotor is proportional to thediameter squared, while the rotor's actual volume (and hence its mass),is proportional to the diameter cubed. In other words, the larger therotor, the less wind it can capture in relation to its mass. Thesignificance of this cannot be overemphasized: The amount of windavailable per unit rotor mass is inversely proportional to the rotordiameter. This means that a 10-meter rotor will capture 100 times asmuch wind as a 1-meter rotor, but will weigh 1000 times as much! So asits diameter has increased by an order of magnitude, its subtended windcollecting area per unit mass has decreased by an order of magnitude.

Of course, 100 of these smaller rotors would each require individualphysical support at an effective height, as well as either 100individual generators, or a mechanical means to combine the rotation ofthe individual rotors. In the current state of the art, the increasedcomplexity and consequent higher manufacturing and maintenance costs, aswell as possible aesthetic clutter of such a multi-rotor technology,have weighed in favor of designs using a single large rotor, despite thedisproportionately higher mass. The huge, multi-ton rotors employed mustbe carefully designed to maximize aerodynamic efficiency, with complexmechanisms both for feathering the blades and for orienting the rotorassembly (yaw control) according to prevailing wind conditions. Balanceand resonances must be closely controlled to minimize harmful vibration.Means for protecting the massive rotor from self-destruction in highwinds, such as a feathering mechanism, are normally required. Also, themomentum and relative rigidity of a large, upwind rotor make it slow toaccelerate, so the extra energy available in momentary or localizedgusts is not fully utilized.

A downwind design is well known to avoid several of these disadvantages.Since the downwind blades are pushed away from the tower, rather thantoward it, they are unlikely to contact it. A downwind design cantherefore use lighter, more flexible blades, which can simply bend toavoid damage in higher winds. These lighter, more flexible blades canalso take better advantage of momentary gusts, due to their resilienceand ease of acceleration. Finally, a downwind design requires no yawcontrol mechanism, as it will tend to naturally orient itself in theproper direction. In the current state of the art, however, despite allof these advantages, downwind designs are not favored, due to:

A) the large wind-shadow of current state-of-the-art, thick, rigid,vertical towers. The wind-shadow reduces overall efficiency and cancause fatigue from stresses due to resonant vibrations induced by therepeated passage of the blades through the shadow. The upwind side ofthe tower is much less affected by wind-shadow.

B) the fact that the generator is often horizontally mounted at the topof the tower, and the electricity must be somehow transported to theground; Over time, with no active yaw control, simple electrical cablesare likely to eventually become twisted too far in one direction, sothat slip rings must be used to transmit the electric power withrotational freedom. Slip rings add complexity, and are not well-suitedto larger installations. Once active yaw control is deemed necessary,the downwind design has lost its main advantage of passive yaw control,so an upwind design makes more sense.

Vertical-axis machines, such as a Darrius or a Savonius, also avoid manyproblems of single-rotor, upwind designs. For one, the aforementionedyaw control problem is nonexistent, since vertical axis turbines workequally well no matter what the direction of the wind. Also, thegenerator may be located at ground level, greatly reducing both therequired tower strength and maintenance costs. While these advantagesinherent in today's vertical-axis machines are certainly extremelydesirable, they are outweighed by technical drawbacks.

The Darrieus type, for example, is not self-starting, and once started,does not collect as much energy, as smoothly, as an equivalent sizedhorizontal-axis rotor. Since its blades project upward it is perceivedas “not needing a tower” and so is usually installed close to groundlevel. Such an installation may suffer from a large discrepancy in windvelocity between the tops and bottoms of its blades, since wind atground level is markedly slowed by friction. And in actuality, ofcourse, the tops of the blades must be supported by something, whichnormally turns out to be a rigid vertical tower of sorts, even if itturns with the blades. This tower, while not supporting a generator,must still be quite strong and substantially rigid to withstand thehorizontal wind forces acting upon the blades without distorting. Aswith a horizontal axis rotor, the area subtended by a Darrieus typerotor is proportional to the diameter squared, while blade massincreases with the diameter cubed, so that larger rotors can collectless wind per unit mass. Again, available power per unit rotor mass isinversely proportional to rotor size. A heavier rotor needs a strongertower and stronger bearings. Often, guy wires are used in an effort tosatisfy this requirement for tower strength. Guy wires can require anadditional bearing at the top of the rotor, produce visual clutter, andreduce the agricultural or other viability of the land below.

A Savonius turbine has some of the advantages of the Darrius, beingomnidirectional, and is self-starting, but unfortunately a Savonius isvery inefficient. Combining the two vertical-axis machines, with aDarrius stacked atop a Savonius, serves to elevate the Darrius, and thiscombination is self-starting. Unfortunately, even this improvedcombination still swings a large, slow rotor, requiring a transmissionto drive a faster-spinning generator, and utilizes a rigid, verticaltower at its core, with its inherent high cost. The most efficient useof such an expensive, rigid tower, in the current state of the art, isstill an upwind, horizontal axis machine.

For a given wind speed, the blade tip speed for any size rotor is aboutthe same, hence, the angular rate of rotation is inversely proportionalto rotor diameter. For a given amount of driveshaft power, torque isinversely proportional to rotation rate. Consequently a large rotor willturn a shaft at low rotational speed, but with high torque. This slowrotation rate and consequent high torque of such a large rotor mandatethe use of heavy-duty driveshafts and ratio gearing mechanisms in orderto transmit the power to a faster-rotating generator. Contemporarygenerators must turn many times faster than today's large rotors inorder to efficiently generate power. The gearbox required to achievethis increased rotational rate represents about 20% of the cost ofcurrent systems.

The rotor, driveshaft, transmission, generator, and associated equipmentmust then, as a unit, be provided with means for powered yaw control,(directional rotation about the vertical axis) to maintain proper aiminto the wind. The weight of all this heavy-duty hardware must besupported by the rigid tower, further adding to the strength required ofthe tower, and its consequent cost. The rigid, vertical towers in modernwind generation systems consume about another 20% of total system cost.As you can see, current windmill designs result in a self-reinforcingcascade of upwardly spiraling costs. This cascade of cost begins withthe decision to utilize a rigid, vertical tower. It is interesting tonote that for centuries, we have taken wood from trees that readily bendwith the wind, to build windmills that don't. More than one engineer hasbeen frustrated that their best attempts to harness the light and fleetwind result in clanking, complicated, multi-ton monstrosities thatliterally shake themselves apart. There is a strong feeling amongresearchers that there must be some easier, more simple andcost-effective way to harness wind energy, if only we could find it. Thechallenge to wind energy development for the new millenium is to meetthe wind on its own terms using the stronger, and more flexiblematerials now available.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention discloses a simple way to achieve the mechanicallinkage of a multiplicity of rotors, combined with a way to resilientlysupport the rotors at an effective operational height, combined with away to automatically orient the rotors, combined with a way tomechanically transmit the power of the rotors to the ground, andfinally, even generate electricity, using as few as one single movingpart.

The windmill of the present invention puts the natural flexibility of atower to good use, rather than attempting to make the tower rigid. Thistower doubles as a high rotational speed, low-torque, flexibledriveshaft. Rather than supporting one large, heavy, slowly spinningrotor, our flexible, spinning tower supports multiple, small,lightweight, rapidly rotating rotors, attached coaxially at intervalsalong its length. Since multiple small rotors weigh much less than alarge rotor of equivalent area, and tower flexure is permitted, thetower can be of much lighter duty construction than current designspermit. Further, the generator or other load, and associated hardware,are located at the base of this tower/driveshaft. The flexibletower/driveshaft therefore supports only itself and the attached rotors,further reducing its required strength.

At its base, the rotating tower/driveshaft projects substantiallyupward, to achieve distance from the ground. This lower section may beprovided with vertical axis type blades. Higher up, the tower/driveshaftbegins to bend with the direction of the wind flow. With increasingdistance from its base, the tower/driveshaft becomes increasingly bentover, becoming more driveshaft, and less tower. At some height, thetower/driveshaft becomes sufficiently parallel to the wind for anycoaxially attached horizontal axis rotors to effectively harness thewind, and thereby contribute toward its rotation. Multiple horizontalaxis type rotors are therefore attached at spaced intervals to thisupper section.

Depending on their angle of tilt, certain of the rotors may generatesome lift, in the fashion of a kite. Still further from the base, theplanes of rotation of the coaxially attached, horizontal axis-typerotors become increasingly perpendicular to the wind direction, andalong this upper section, the flexible tower/driveshaft may be blowninto a completely horizontal orientation. Toward its extreme distal end,the tower/driveshaft may even point downward, depending on conditions.Such a downward hanging section may advantageously be provided withvertical axis type blades. In addition to its simple rotation, due toits resilience, the tower/driveshaft may conditionally undertakeswinging, waving, serpentine, or corkscrew types of motion, orcombinations thereof, which add to the effective wind-collection areaswept by the windmill.

The flexibility of the rotating tower/driveshaft naturally results in apassive downwind orientation for the rotors. The flexibletower/driveshaft smoothly converts the rotation of the substantiallyhorizontal-axis-type rotors, as well as that of any attachedvertical-axis-type rotors, whatever the wind direction, into a uniform,reliable, substantially vertical-axis rotation at the base. The highrotational rate reduces or eliminates the need for a gearbox. If agearbox is used, it can be lighter-duty because of the lower torquerequirements of a faster-spinning shaft. The motion of the flexibletower/driveshaft is stabilized to some extent by the gyroscopic actionof the individual rotors spaced along its length. The result is a muchlighter, simpler, and more cost-efficient windmill. Lashing between thehorizontal axis type blades may be added to help transmit torquedownward, or the vertical axis blades may be extended upward and serveas lashing. If sufficiently strong, the presence of vertical axis typeblades may even make a central shaft unnecessary. And the vertical axistype blades need not be exactly parallel to the axis of the tower as awhole, but may wrap around it helically, or even comprise a geometriclatticework formed into a generally cylindrical shape. Thetower/driveshaft and attached rotors is supported against the pull ofgravity and the force of the wind by the stiffness of the rotatingtower/driveshaft tower itself, as supported by a cantilevered bearingmeans at the base. Guy wires may also be used. Additionally, verticalsupport may be provided by natural buoyancy, by aerodynamic liftingforces, or a combination thereof. In embodiments having a directionallycompliant base, these additional means of vertical support maypredominate, reducing the radial loading on the cantilevered bearingmeans at the base.

Objects and Advantages:

Object: To harness energy from the wind in an environmentally andaesthetically acceptable manner at the least cost.

Advantages:

1. It's a downwind machine: Utilizing the natural effect of passivedownwind orientation, the present invention harnesses wind equally wellfrom any direction, eliminating the need for active directional (yaw)control apparatus, mechanisms, software, and associated wind-directionsensors.

2. As with a purely vertical-axis machine, the generator or other load,and all associated hardware, is located at the base of the tower,greatly reducing the strength required of the tower, as well assimplifying maintenance procedures, especially if the generator must berebuilt or replaced.

3. The elimination of the requirement that the tower be absolutely rigidfurther reduces the required strength of the tower. Taking a lesson fromnature, we note that trees are not completely rigid; we therefore letthe tower do exactly what it wants to do in the wind: bend. The tower inturn rewards us by allowing lighter construction.

4. The torque required to transmit a given amount of power through adriveshaft is inversely proportional to the rate of rotation. Sincesmall rotors spin faster than large ones, multiple small coaxial rotorscan provide the same power as a single large rotor through a lesssubstantial driveshaft, spinning at a higher rotational rate. Therefore,the use of smaller, multiple rotors further reduces the strengthrequired of our tower/driveshaft.

5. The circular area subtended by a spinning rotor is proportional toits diameter squared, while the rotor's actual volume (and hence itsmass), is proportional to its diameter cubed. In other words, the largerthe rotor, the less wind it can capture in relation to its mass.Significantly, the amount of wind available per unit rotor mass istherefore inversely proportional to the rotor diameter. This means thata 10-meter rotor will capture 100 times as much wind as a 1-meter rotor,but will weigh 1000 times as much! From this standpoint, a multiplicityof smaller rotors is lighter for the same amount of wind captured, andtherefore makes better use of materials than a single larger rotor. Thisdramatic savings in weight even further reduces the required towerstrength.

6. The fact that each rotor is comparatively small and, to some extent,a free-floating body reduces the need for a perfectly balanced rotor;small perturbations in rotation are easily absorbed along the length ofthe flexible tower/driveshaft. This reduces the expense of the rotors.

7. The redundancy of multiple coaxial rotors means that maximizingefficiency of any single rotor is not as paramount as in a single-rotordesign; available wind energy missed by one rotor will likely beharnessed by a subsequent rotor. This also reduces the cost of therotors.

8. In addition to simple rotation, a windmill of the present inventionwill often assume a swinging, waving, serpentine, or corkscrew motion.Such a trajectory sweeps the rotors through a larger area of wind than astatically rotating configuration, reducing the wind-shadow effect fromone rotor to the next, thereby harnessing more total wind energy thanmight otherwise be expected.

9. The faster rotational speed of our driveshaft eliminates or reducesthe need for a gearbox to translate slow shaft rotation to a fastergenerator rotation. If such a gearbox is needed, it can be lighter-duty,since at higher rotational speeds, less torque is involved.

10. The simplicity and redundancy of the present invention will reducedesign, manufacturing, installation, and maintenance costs; like purelyvertical-axis machines, theoretically, simple versions of this newdesign could require only “one moving part”.

11. The wind-shadow effect can actually be beneficial by protecting thewindmill from damage in unusually high winds; Wind-shadows lengthen withthe increased Reynolds numbers encountered at higher wind speeds. Also,as wind speed increases, the tower/driveshaft is increasingly bent overtoward a horizontal position. These effects increase the wind-shadoweffect from one rotor to the next in higher winds, protecting againstdestructively fast rotation.

12. As with other downwind machines, the rotors are unlikely to contactthe tower/driveshaft, and so may be made light and flexible enough tobend with extremely strong winds, avoiding damage while decreasingcosts.

13. This same light flexibility allows each blade to more fully respondto instantaneous localized gusts.

14. The tower/driveshaft is also rotationally flexible along its length,to some extent. This allows an entire rotor, or a series thereof,encountering a sudden gust to quickly accelerate. The extra energy isfirst absorbed by the local rotational flexibility of thetower/driveshaft, then transmitted down the length of the shaft by itsresilience. This overcomes a well-recognized problem with larger, stiff,heavy rotors: due to their relative rigidity and high momentum, theenergy of a localized gust cannot be efficiently harvested; The bladescan't speed up fast enough to take full advantage of the extra energy inthe momentary gust before it is too late and the gust has passed. Sinceavailable power is proportional to wind velocity cubed, this canrepresent significant amounts of wasted energy.

15. An aesthetic improvement: The windmill of the present inventionanswers the question: “If Nature could somehow build, or grow, awindmill, what might it look like?” As such, it has a very naturalappearance. Especially in smaller versions, the blades appear as a blur,and the assembly resembles a tall tree, naturally bending with the wind.Green coloration may be used to augment this appearance.

Drawings in General:

FIG. 1 shows the first embodiment of a windmill of the present inventionhaving three-bladed rotors, a gear-driven generator, and sub-surfacebearing means, from an offset endwise downwind aerial view.

FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of the windmill of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a closeup view of the base of the windmill of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 4-6 show alternative base configurations, similar to the base ofFIGS. 1-3, described in the second through fourth embodiments.

FIG. 4 shows a base with a subsurface cantilevered bearing means and adirectly driven inline load.

FIG. 5 shows an above surface base with the directly driven load belowthe cantilevered bearing means.

FIG. 6 shows an above surface base with the directly driven load withinthe cantilevered bearing means.

FIG. 7 is a side perspective view from an elevated position of the fifthembodiment, having a subsurface base with directly driven load, andtwo-bladed rotors.

FIG. 8 shows a closer view of the base of the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 9 shows the base of the sixth embodiment, an alternative version ofthe base of the previous, fifth embodiment.

FIGS. 10-13 show closeup side views of part of the upper section of atower/driveshaft illustrating alternative rotor blade configurations,applicable to many of the embodiments described herein:

FIG. 10 shows a closeup side view of part of the upper section of thetower/driveshaft of the fifth embodiment shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 11 shows the seventh embodiment.

FIG. 12 shows the eighth embodiment.

FIG. 13 shows the ninth embodiment.

FIG. 14 shows a perspective side view of the tenth embodiment, afloating marine installation of a windmill of the present invention.

FIG. 15 shows a closeup view of the floating marine base of the tenthembodiment shown in FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 shows a closeup view of the floating marine base of the eleventhembodiment.

FIG. 17 shows a closeup view of the floating, rotating, counterweightedmarine base of the twelfth embodiment, having the cantilevered bearingmeans comprised of the liquid interface between the rotating base andthe surrounding water.

FIG. 18 shows a perspective side view of the thirteenth embodiment, asailboat powered by a windmill of the present invention.

FIG. 19 shows a closeup view of the simple marine drivetrain of thefourteenth embodiment.

FIG. 20 shows a closeup view of the wind/electric hybrid marinedrivetrain of the fifteenth embodiment.

FIG. 21 shows a perspective side view of the sixteenth embodiment, atower/driveshaft having a turntable base.

FIG. 22 shows a closeup perspective side view of the turntable base ofthe sixteenth embodiment.

FIG. 23 shows a perspective side view of the seventeenth embodiment, atower/driveshaft having a directionally compliant base with bias towardvertical. (graphically represented by a simple coil spring)

FIG. 24 shows a closeup perspective side view of the directionallycompliant base of the seventeenth embodiment. (graphically representedby a simple coil spring)

FIG. 25 shows a perspective side view of the eighteenth embodiment,having helical, torque transmitting lashing.

FIG. 26 shows a perspective side view of the nineteenth embodiment,having helical, and longitudinal lashing.

FIGS. 27-30 show closeup side views of part of the upper section of atower/driveshaft illustrating alternative lashing configurations,applicable to many of the embodiments described herein:

FIG. 27 shows a closeup view of part of the upper section of a towerdriveshaft of the eighteenth embodiment, having helical lashing.

FIG. 28 shows a closeup view of part of the upper section of a towerdriveshaft of the nineteenth embodiment, additionally havinglongitudinal lashing.

FIG. 29 shows a closeup view of part of the upper section of a towerdriveshaft of the twentieth embodiment, additionally having reversehelical lashing.

FIG. 30 shows a closeup view of part of the upper section of a towerdriveshaft of the twenty-first embodiment, additionally havingcircumferential lashing.

FIG. 31 shows a perspective side view of the twenty-second embodiment,having a latticework tower/driveshaft.

FIG. 32 shows a closeup perspective side view of the upper section ofthe latticework tower/driveshaft of the twenty-second embodiment.

FIG. 33 shows a perspective side view of the base of the twenty-secondembodiment, having a latticework tower/driveshaft.

FIG. 34 shows a side view of the twenty-third embodiment, showing atower/driveshaft in profile, depicting regions of varying longitudinalflexibility.

FIG. 35 shows a side view of the twenty-fourth embodiment, showing atower/driveshaft in profile, depicting regions of varying longitudinalflexibility.

FIG. 36 shows an upper side perspective view of the windmill of thetwenty-fifth embodiment, having a single horizontal axis type rotor.

FIG. 37 shows an upper side perspective view of the windmill of thetwenty-sixth embodiment, having a vertical axis rotor, and a horizontalaxis type rotor.

FIG. 38 shows an upper side perspective view of the windmill of thetwenty-seventh embodiment, having multiple vertical axis rotors, andmultiple horizontal axis type rotors

FIG. 39 shows an upper side perspective view of the twenty-eighthembodiment, having multiple horizontal axis, and multiple vertical axisrotors, supported by guy wires.

FIG. 40 shows an upper side perspective view of the twenty-ninthembodiment, having multiple horizontal axis type rotors, and supportedby guy wires.

FIG. 41 shows an upper side perspective view of the thirtiethembodiment, having a single horizontal axis type rotor, supported by guywires.

FIG. 42 shows the thirty first embodiment—a wind farm of wind turbinesof the twenty-eighth embodiment, interconnected through a shared grid ofguy wires.

FIG. 43 shows an upwind side perspective view of a wind turbine of thethirty-second embodiment, having an elongate vertical axis rotor, andmultiple horizontal axis type rotors.

FIG. 44 shows a closeup view of the upper end of the elongate verticalaxis rotor of the thirty-second embodiment.

FIG. 45 shows an upwind side perspective view of a wind turbine of thethirty-third embodiment, having elongate vertical axis type rotor bladesextending along the entire length of the tower/driveshaft, attached tothe multiple horizontal axis type rotors.

FIG. 46 shows a closeup view of the tower/driveshaft of the thirty-thirdembodiment.

FIG. 47 shows an upwind side perspective view of a wind turbine of thethirty-fourth embodiment, having elongate vertical axis type rotorblades extending along the entire length of the tower/driveshaft,attached to the multiple horizontal axis type rotors, with no centralshaft.

FIG. 48 shows a closeup view of the tower/driveshaft of thethirty-fourth embodiment.

FIG. 49 shows an upwind side perspective view of a wind turbine of thethirty-fifth embodiment, having elongate vertical axis type rotor bladesextending along the entire length of the tower/driveshaft, attached tothe multiple horizontal axis type rotors, with no central shaft, andhelical lashing

FIG. 50 shows a closeup view of the tower/driveshaft of the thirty-fifthembodiment.

FIG. 51 shows an upwind side view of the thirty-sixth embodiment, awindmill of the present invention mounted atop a building, having bothvertical and horizontal axis type rotor blades, with a distal endhanging below the level of the base.

FIG. 52 is a closeup view of a section of the tower/driveshaft of thethirty-seventh embodiment, having helically wrapped vertical axisblades.

FIG. 53 is a closeup view of a section of the tower/driveshaft of thethirty-eighth embodiment, having reverse helically wrapped vertical axisblades.

FIG. 54 is a closeup view of a section of the tower/driveshaft of thethirty-ninth embodiment, having reverse helically wrapped vertical axisblades, and helical lashing.

FIG. 55 is a closeup view of a section of the tower/driveshaft of thefortieth embodiment, having vertical axis blades, helically wrapped, inboth directions. (The forty-first embodiment is not specificallyillustrated, but refers back to FIG. 55 also.)

FIG. 56 is a closeup view of a section of the tower/driveshaft of theforty-second embodiment, having helically wrapped vertical axis typeblades, and longitudinal vertical axis blades.

FIG. 57 is a closeup view of a section of the tower/driveshaft of theforty-third embodiment, having reverse helically wrapped vertical axistype blades, helical torque transmitting lashing, and longitudinalvertical axis blades.

FIG. 58 is a closeup view of a section of the tower/driveshaft of theforty-fourth embodiment, having vertical axis type blades, helicallywrapped in both directions, as well as continuous longitudinal verticalaxis type blades.

FIG. 59 is a closeup view of a section of the tower/driveshaft of theforty-fifth embodiment, having vertical axis type blades, helicallywrapped in both directions, as well as extending longitudinally, as inthe previous embodiment, but with no central shaft.

FIG. 60 is a downwind side view of the forty-sixth embodiment, having acylindrical lower section composed of a hexagonal array of aerodynamicstruts comprising vertical axis type blades, and an upper section havinghorizontal axis type blades.

FIG. 61 is a closer view of the forty-sixth embodiment, where the lowersection meets the middle section.

FIG. 62 is a closer view of the forty-sixth embodiment, where the lowersection meets the base.

FIG. 63 is an even closer view of the forty-sixth embodiment, where thelower section meets the middle section. (The forty seventh embodiment isnot illustrated, but refers back to FIGS. 60-63)

FIG. 64 shows an extreme closeup view of the forty-eighth embodiment,having a cylindrical lower section comprised of a triangular array ofaerodynamic struts comprising vertical axis type blades, where the lowersection meets the middle section.

FIG. 65 shows a closeup view of the forty-ninth embodiment, having acantilevered tail.

FIG. 66 shows an upwind side perspective view of the windmill of thefiftieth embodiment, having multiple cantilevered tails.

FIG. 67 shows a closeup view of the upper section of thetower/driveshaft of the fifty-first embodiment, comprising a liftingbody.

FIG. 68 shows an upwind side perspective view of the windmill of thefifty-second embodiment, having a lifting body and multiple cantileveredtails.

FIG. 69 is a closeup view of the upper section of the tower/driveshaftof the fifty-third embodiment, having cantilevered tails, cantileverednoses, pulled toward the base by a tension transmission means.

FIG. 70 is a perspective side view of the tower/driveshaft of thefifty-third embodiment, having cantilevered tails, and cantileverednoses, pulled toward the base by a tension transmission means.

FIG. 71 is a closeup view of the upper section of the tower/driveshaftof the fifty-fourth embodiment having a lifting body, cantileveredtails, and cantilevered noses, pulled toward the base by a tensiontransmission means.

FIG. 72 is a closeup view of the upper section of the tower/driveshaftof the fifty-fifth embodiment having cantilevered tails with adjustableelevator surfaces.

FIG. 73 is a closeup view of the upper section of the tower/driveshaftof the fifty-sixth embodiment having tilting rotors rotationally coupledto tilting cantilevered tails.

FIG. 74 is an upwind side perspective view of the fifty-seventhembodiment, comprising multiple horizontal axis type rotors, and abuoyant lifting body.

FIG. 75 is a closeup view of the buoyant lifting body of thefifty-seventh embodiment.

FIG. 76 is an upwind side perspective view of the fifty-eighthembodiment, comprising multiple horizontal axis type rotors havingbuoyant blades.

FIG. 77 is a downwind perspective view from above, looking down thetower/driveshaft of the fifty-eighth embodiment.

FIG. 78 shows a closeup view of the base of the fifty-eighth embodiment.

FIG. 79 shows a downwind perspective side view of the fifty-ninthembodiment, having buoyant horizontal axis type rotors and adirectionally compliant base.

FIG. 80 shows a downwind perspective side view of the sixtiethembodiment, having multiple horizontal axis type rotors, a buoyantlifting body, and a directionally compliant base.

FIG. 81 is a downwind perspective view from above, looking down thetower/driveshaft of the sixty-first embodiment, comprising multiplehorizontal axis type rotors having buoyant blades, and helical torquetransmission lashing sequentially connected to multiple armatures.

FIG. 82 shows a closeup view of the base of the sixty-first embodiment,showing the lashing attached to the lowest armature.

FIG. 83 shows a downwind perspective side view of the sixty-secondembodiment, having multiple horizontal axis type rotors having buoyantblades, and a directionally compliant base.

FIG. 84 shows a downwind perspective side view of the sixty-thirdembodiment, having multiple horizontal axis type rotors connected byhelical torque transmitting lashing, a buoyant lifting body, and adirectionally compliant base.

FIG. 85 is a side perspective view of the sixty-fourth embodiment,having buoyant horizontal axis type rotors, held by torque transmittinglashing, with no central shaft.

FIG. 86 shows an upwind side perspective view of the sixty-fifthembodiment, having a buoyant lifting body, and multiple horizontal axistype rotors suspended by torque transmitting lashing.

FIG. 87 shows a closeup view of the buoyant lifting body of thesixty-fifth embodiment.

FIG. 88 is a downwind side perspective view from above, of thesixty-sixth embodiment, having buoyant rotor blades tethered by torquetransmitting lashing, and a directionally compliant base.

FIG. 89 is a downwind side perspective view from above, of thesixty-seventh embodiment, having a buoyant lifting body, multiplehorizontal axis type rotors suspended by torque transmitting lashing,and a directionally compliant base.

FIG. 90 shows a downwind side perspective view from above of thesixty-eighth embodiment, having multiple horizontal axis type rotorswith buoyant blades, helically wrapped torque transmitting lashing,elongate lashing, and a directionally compliant base with means fordirectional bias.

FIG. 91 shows a downwind side perspective view from above of thesixty-ninth embodiment, having multiple horizontal axis type rotors withbuoyant blades, helically wrapped torque transmitting lashing, elongatelashing, a directionally compliant base with means for directional bias,and no central shaft.

FIG. 92 shows a downwind side perspective view from above, of theseventieth embodiment, having horizontal axis type rotors, which may bebuoyant, mounted on tilting hubs, steerable by elongate lashing attachedto an armature, rotationally supported by a directionally compliantbase, as influenced by a means for directional bias.

FIG. 93 is a closeup view of the base of the seventieth embodiment.

FIG. 94 shows a downwind side perspective view from above, of theseventy-first embodiment, having rotors mounted on tilting hubs,steerable by elongate lashing, an armature, and a directionallycompliant base with means for directional bias, further having the loadcoaxially mounted directly to the upper section of the tower/driveshaft.

FIG. 95 is a closeup view of the base of the seventy-first embodiment.

FIG. 96 shows a downwind side perspective view from above, of theseventy-second embodiment, having rotors mounted on tilting hubs,steerable by elongate vertical axis blades, an armature, and adirectionally compliant base with means for directional bias.

FIG. 97 is a closeup view of the base of the seventy-second embodiment.

FIG. 98 is an aerial side perspective view of the lower end of thewindmill installation of the seventy-third embodiment, having rotorsmounted on tilting hubs, steerable by elongate vertical axis blades, anarmature, a directionally compliant base with means for directionalbias, and torque transmission lashing provided with slack uptake means.

FIG. 99 is an aerial side perspective view of the seventy-fourthembodiment, having buoyant horizontal axis type rotors connected bybuoyant, elongate vertical axis type blades, an armature, adirectionally compliant base, and torque transmission lashing, with nocentral shaft.

FIG. 100 is an aerial side perspective view of the seventy-fifthembodiment, having buoyant horizontal axis type rotors connected bybuoyant, elongate vertical axis type blades, an armature, a centralshaft, and a directionally compliant base.

FIG. 101 is an aerial side perspective view of the seventy-sixthembodiment, having buoyant horizontal axis type rotors connected bybuoyant, elongate vertical axis type blades, helically wrapped totransmit torque to an armature, and a directionally compliant base.

FIG. 102 shows an upwind side perspective view from below, of theseventy-seventh embodiment having buoyant horizontal axis type rotorsconnected by buoyant, elongate reverse helically wrapped vertical axistype blades, torque transmission lashing, and a directionally compliantbase.

FIG. 103 is an aerial side perspective view of the seventy-eighthembodiment, having buoyant horizontal axis type rotors connected bybuoyant, elongate vertical axis type blades, helically wrapped totransmit torque to an armature, a directionally compliant base, with theinclusion of the central shaft.

FIG. 104 shows an upwind side perspective view from below, of theseventy-ninth embodiment having buoyant horizontal axis type rotorsconnected by buoyant, elongate reverse helically wrapped vertical axistype blades, torque transmission lashing, and a directionally compliantbase.

FIG. 105 is an aerial side perspective view of the eightieth embodiment,having buoyant horizontal axis type rotors connected by buoyant,elongate vertical axis type blades, helically wrapped in bothdirections, and a directionally compliant base. (The eighty-firstembodiment is not specifically illustrated, but refers back to FIG.105.)

Part Numbers in the Drawing Figures:

1. surface

2. base means

3. mounting means

4. bearing support means

5. cantilevered bearing means

6. load

7. lower section of tower/driveshaft

8. middle section of tower/driveshaft

9. upper section of tower/driveshaft

10. resilient tower/driveshaft

11. bearing means

12. horizontal axis type blade

13. horizontal axis type rotor

14. power takeoff means

15. axle

16. armature means

17. . . .

18. torque transmission helical lashing means (helically wraps aroundtower/driveshaft, from bottom to top, in direction of rotation,transmitting torque in tension.)

19. reverse helical lashing means (helically wraps around shaft top tobottom, in direction of rotation) (wraps in opposite direction of 18)

20. continuous longitudinal lashing means (substantially parallel toshaft)

21. latitudinal lashing means (substantially perpendicular to shaft)

22. cantilevered tail means

23. tail boom means

24. tail lifting surface means (horizontal stabilizer)

25. passive downwind tail orientation means (vertical stabilizer)

26. cantilevered boom rotational bearing means

27. . . .

28. cantilevered nose boom means

29. linear tension transmission means (shown as a cable)

30. tension adjustment means (shown as a winch)

31. lifting body

32. buoyant lifting body

33. suspension bearing means

34. . . .

35. azimuthal directional orientation means (shown as a turntable)

36. elevation angle control means

37. lifting means

38. pivot means

39. resilient, directionally flexible, non-rotating mounting interface(having a bias toward vertical) (shown as a simple spring)

40. longitudinally oriented, vertical axis type blade (substantiallylinear blade that operates on the general principle of a Darrieus typeblade)

41. longitudinally oriented, vertical axis type blade that doubles aslinear lashing or otherwise functions as linear structural means

42. vertical axis type (Darrieus type) blade that helically wraps aroundthe structure, proceeding upward from the base end, in the direction ofrotation, whereby it can also serve as helical diagonal lashing means,transmitting torque downward in tension

43. vertical axis type (Darrieus type) blade that wraps around thestructure, proceeding from top to bottom, in a substantially helicalmanner, in the direction of rotation, that serves as helical diagonalstructural means, transmitting torque downward in compression

44. vertical axis (Darrieus type) rotor

45. adjustable elevator surface

46. elevator actuating means

47. elevator control means

48. tilting hub

49. . . .

50. . . .

51. circumferentially oriented strut (perpendicular to tower/driveshaft)

52. cylindrical repeating geometric pattern of vertical axis type rotorblades (generally cylindrical continuous geometrical lattice comprisingstruts having an airfoil cross-section, disposed so as to function asDarrieus-type vertical-axis rotor blades.

53. open latticework structure comprising tower/driveshaft

54. a diagonal strut comprising part of a latticework structure

55. guy wire

56. upper bearing hub means for guy wires

57. horizontal guy wire between units

58. . . .

59. slack uptake means (elastic or resilient spring means)

60. non-rotating directionally compliant support means (gimbal mountingframe)

61. means for directional bias (usually toward vertical) (passive(spring) or powered)

62. steering means (rudder) (for embodiments featuring a boat)

63. directionally flexible rotational coupling means (universal joint)

64. directionally flexible non-rotating coupling means

65. non-rotating mount means for load (attached to non-rotating part ofload, resists torque applied to load by rotating tower/driveshaft, sothe load functions properly, rather than simply rotating as a whole)

66. continuous power conduit means (example shown is an electric cable)

67. ballast counterweight

68. buoyant upper section of axle (hollow tube, marine installation)

69. anchor means (shown as a simple chain)

70. armature rotational bearing means

71. power conversion unit

72. combination generator/reversible motor

73. first clutch means

74. second clutch means

75. underwater propeller driveshaft

76. underwater propeller driveshaft bearing means

77. underwater propeller

78. power storage means (shown as a bank of electrical batteries)

79. boat

80. building

81. brake means

82. transmission means including reverse gear . . .

98. downward hanging distal section of tower/driveshaft

99. distal end of tower/driveshaft

Preferred Embodiments:

1. In the first embodiment, referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, a rotatingtower/driveshaft 10 comprising a resilient elongate structure, such as aflexible pole, that serves as both a tower and a driveshaft, extendssubstantially upward from a base means 2 located substantially atsurface level. The base means 2, comprises a mounting means 3, acantilevered bearing means 5, a power takeoff means 14, and a load 6. Acloser cutaway view of such a base 2, as in FIG. 78, shows that thecantilevered bearing means 5 may comprise, for example, a substantiallyvertical axle 15, rotationally supported by two rotational bearing means11, said bearing means 11 being located substantially proximate eitherend of said axle 15. Radial loads on the bearings can be substantiallyreduced by making the shaft 15 as long as is practical, therebyseparating these bearings as far apart as is practical, so as to enhancetheir effective, combined leverage. The bearings are securely retainedby a bearing support means 4, which in this case comprises an enclosing,rigid, vertical tube. Cantilevered bearing means 5, securely so attachedto mounting means 3, supports the tower/driveshaft 10 in a manner thatallows the tower/driveshaft to freely rotate about its own longitudinalaxis. The structure of the base means, including the mounting means 3and the cantilevered bearing means 5, is sufficiently robust to supportthe weight of the tower/driveshaft 10 and its attached rotors, inaddition to the aerodynamic loads generated thereupon by the wind, asexerted through the leverage afforded by the length of thetower/driveshaft. The base means may be mounted at a surface in such amanner that the cantilevered bearing means 5 extends below the surface,to add stability while reducing surface clutter. The lower section 7 ofthe tower/driveshaft is coaxially coupled to, and rotatably supportedby, the cantilevered bearing means 5, meaning that the tower/driveshaftis securely held, in both position and direction of projection, at itsbase, yet is free to rotate about its own longitudinal axis. This lowersection 7 therefore emerges from the base substantially perpendicular tothe surface, serving to achieve distance from the surface, so as toreach the higher speed winds found away from the surface, like the towerof a conventional windmill. With increasing height, the tower/driveshaftbegins to bend in a progressively more downwind direction, due to bothits own weight, the weight of its attached rotors, and the force of thewind. The middle section 8 of the tower/driveshaft serves both toachieve additional distance from the surface and, by its bendingdeflection, to transition toward a more horizontal direction ofprojection. The tower/driveshaft may vary in thickness along its length,or be otherwise tailored for a specific bending response. In thisembodiment the tower/driveshaft is thickest at the base, tapering to amore narrow profile with increasing distance from the base, as does, forexample, a fishing pole, becoming more constant in thickness toward itsdistal end 99.

A multiplicity of substantially horizontal axis type rotors 13 arecoaxially attached at intervals to the upper section 9 of thetower/driveshaft. This upper section 9 begins at a point where the shaftbecomes sufficiently parallel to the wind for these rotors toeffectively contribute toward its rotation; As the tower/driveshaft isnaturally bent over in a downwind direction, the rotors become orientedsubstantially perpendicular to the direction of wind flow. The wind thencauses the rotors to spin. With increasingly rapid rotation, the diskswept by each rotor becomes more opaque to the wind, adding to itseffective aerodynamic drag, and depending on its angle, providing lift,further influencing the bending behavior of the tower/driveshaft.

It is a classic blunder in wind turbine design to closely place onerotor directly in front of another, since the wind shadow of the upwindrotor renders the downwind rotor less effective, and the high pressureregion in front of the downwind rotor even slightly reduces the amountof wind flowing through the upwind rotor, by causing back pressure,impairing its effectiveness as well. The present invention is to bedistinguished from those which simply cluster multiple horizontal axisrotors on a single short horizontal driveshaft, stacked too closely fornew air to enter the stream between rotors, in disregard of wind shadoweffects. In the present invention, the rotors are placed far enoughapart that undisturbed air from the surrounding airstream has somechance to dilute the wind shadow from one rotor before that air makes itto the next rotor. Also, most of the upper section 9 of thetower/driveshaft is not exactly horizontal, but rather at some slightangle to horizontal, so that each rotor is not exactly downwind from thepreceding rotor, but offset either above or below, or even to the side,depending on how the shaft bends. The tilt of any rotor also fortunatelyacts to deflect its wind shadow away from the succeeding rotor. Inaddition, the entire upper section 9 of the serpentine tower/driveshaftmay wave, swing, or otherwise actively bend, further exposing theaffected rotors to a wider section of undisturbed airstream. Such awaving motion can also serve to raise the relative speed at which theair impinges upon the rotor blades. The gyroscopic effect of each rotor13, however, tends to stabilize the shaft in the region where that rotoris attached. The aggregate stabilizing effect is quite significant,substantially reducing wild swings and gyrations of the shaft in gustyconditions, making for smoother power generation, reduced materialfatigue and wear, and increasing safety. The net sum of the powercontributed by all of the rotors turns the entire tower/driveshaft 10.The shaft rotates about its own axis, along its entire length.

The resulting collective power may be drawn off and utilized by a load 6at the base end of the shaft. In this embodiment, the load 6 comprisesan electrical generator, coupled to the shaft through a power takeoffmeans 14 as illustrated by the set of gears shown. Since this load 6 isnot, as an entire unit, rotatably mounted, as is the load ofconventional horizontal axis windmills, the power may be convenientlyconducted away from the load 6 by a continuous power conduit means 66,which in this case comprises an electric cable. If the load were a pumpor compressor, the continuous power conduit means would comprise a hose,pipe, or tube. Other suitable continuous power conduit means couldinclude fiber optic cable, or a driveshaft, chain, belt, or othermechanical means. This new horizontal axis type wind turbine thereforehas two huge advantages previously reserved for vertical axis windmills:

1. that of having a stationary load at ground level, which is clearly adistinct improvement over prior art horizontal axis windmills. Since theload need not revolve to follow the direction of the wind, no slip ringsare needed to remove electrical power from the installation. Since theload need not be supported by the tower, the tower can be dramaticallyless robust, therefore lighter and less expensive. Installation andperiodic maintenance of the load is safer and less complicated at groundlevel.

2. that of responding equally well to wind from any direction, with noneed for an active yaw control mechanism, since this downwind machine isnaturally self-aiming, inherently comprising passive downwindorientation behavior, and therefore inherently comprising passivedownwind orientation means.

Such a load 6 may also be directly driven by the rotatingtower/driveshaft, as in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6. Whether the load is directlyor indirectly driven, the advantages over prior art horizontal axisturbines therefore include, but are not limited to:

that such a simple conduit means as a cable or hose is sufficient toremove power from this self-orienting, downwind machine, with no sliprings nor active yaw control being necessary, and;

that the tower can be made less robust since it need support only itselfand the attached rotors, and not the generator and yaw controlapparatus;

that the tower can be made still less robust, since it is free to bend,and;

that a multiplicity of small rotors weigh less than a single, similar,larger rotor, while subtending the same area, therefore harvesting thesame amount of wind with less total rotor mass, further allowing an evenless robust tower;

that these smaller rotors turn faster than a larger one, requiring aless robust driveshaft for the same power delivered;

that this faster-spinning, less robust driveshaft requires less robustbearings to support it;

that this faster-spinning, less robust driveshaft requires a less robustgearbox, if any, to handle the lower torque of this faster-spinning,less robust shaft,

that this increased rotational rate reduces the amount of, or eveneliminates the need for, ratio gearing needed to raise the rotationspeed of the shaft up to a speed that is suitable for driving agenerator; since it already turns faster due to the smaller rotordiameter. It is well known in windmill design that turbines havingsmaller diameter rotors can often effectively drive an alternator withno gearbox, due to the high rotation rate of a smaller rotor, for agiven wind speed.

With the gearbox eliminated, as in the next embodiment, a wind turbineof this general design, with all of its diverse functions andadvantages, can comprise as few as one single, flexible, rotating,moving part. Such a turbine is ideal for atmospheric use, but a turbineof this general design may also be driven by another moving fluid, suchas, for example, an ocean current.

2. In FIG. 4, an alternate base 2 is shown. The load 6 is directlydriven, securely mounted to mounting means 3, directly in line with thelower section 7 of the tower/driveshaft, above the cantilevered bearingmeans 5. As in the base of the first embodiment, the cantileveredbearing means 5 extends below the surface, and the fluent power may betransmitted from the load, here a generator, via continuous powerconduit means 66, here comprising a simple electric cable. Having nogearbox, this wind turbine comprises but a single, flexible, rotating,moving part.

3. In FIG. 5, the entire base means 2 is ideal for being installed abovea surface. As in the previous embodiments, the cantilevered bearingmeans 5 and the load 6 are both mounted to mounting means 3. The load 6is coaxial with, and directly below, the cantilevered bearing means 5,and is directly driven by axle 15.

4. In FIG. 6, the cantilevered bearing means 5 comprises two rotationalbearing means 11 disposed at opposite ends of a shaft 15. The load 6 islocated between the bearings, above one and below the other, directlydriven by the shaft. All components are secured by mounting means 3 inan above-surface, vertically stacked, coaxial configuration. Increasingthe distance between the bearings 11 reduces the radial loading uponthem.

5. FIGS. 7, 8 and 10 show a version of the present invention having abase 2 designed for subsurface installation, having two-bladed rotors,and a directly driven load 6, also located below the surface, within therigid cylindrical housing provided by bearing support means 4. Referringto FIG. 8, cantilevered bearing means 5 comprises two rotational bearingmeans 11, separated by an axle 15, which is rotatably retained by thebearings. Load 6 is directly driven by axle 15, being coaxially coupledthereto, and is located below cantilevered bearing means 5. The powermay be conveniently drawn off by means of continuous power conduit means66, which in this case comprises an electric cable, since the loadcomprises an electric generator. Referring to FIG. 10, Eachhorizontal-axis-type rotor 13 has two blades, and is offset by 90degrees from the previous rotor. Other numbers of blades per rotor, oramounts of angular offset, are also to be considered within the scope ofthe present invention.

6. FIG. 9 shows an alternative subsurface base means similar to that ofthe fifth embodiment, in FIG. 8, except that the load 6 is disposedbetween the two rotational bearing means 11, as opposed to below them,taking up less overall space while maintaining the distance between thebearings 11. This particular base configuration was chosen for the sakeof example only, to illustrate the wide variety of types of basespossible, within the overall scope of the invention, and need notnecessarily be specifically associated with any particular rotorconfiguration.

7. FIG. 11 presents an alternative rotor blade configuration:three-bladed horizontal axis type rotors 13, sequentially offset by 60degrees. (Due to symmetry, it would be equally accurate to say that theysimply alternate in direction, and are therefore offset by 180 degrees.)The key concept here is that the rotors need not be perfectly alignedfrom one to the next. The rotors may be originally mounted in thisoffset way, or such a configuration may simply result from a dynamictwisting of the upper section 9 of the tower/driveshaft 10 caused by thetorque exerted upon the rotors by the wind, since the tower/driveshaft10 will naturally have some torsional flexibility.

8. In FIG. 12, single-bladed rotors alternately project in oppositedirections from the upper section 9 of the tower/driveshaft 10. (Theyare sequentially offset by 180 degrees.) Though any small region of thetower/driveshaft may be unbalanced, the shaft as a whole maintainsoverall balance. Each blade 12 is pulled outward by centrifugal force,bending the shaft outward slightly at that point. This resilientdeformation of the tower/driveshaft allows each rotor to sweep aslightly enlarged arc, harvesting more total wind energy. Single bladedrotors weigh less, and may produce less wind shadow effects on downwindrotors, than regular, balanced, multi-bladed rotors. It is notabsolutely necessary that each rotor be designed in an attempt toextract the full capacity factor of energy allowed by the betz limit;Considering that the rotors encounter the wind in somewhat of a serialmanner, available power missed by one rotor may well be salvaged by adownwind rotor.

9. In FIG. 13, single-bladed rotors project from the shaft in a helicalpattern, at increments of 60 degrees. Such a configuration may encouragethe entire tower/driveshaft to spin in a helical mode. The effect at anyone point, as in the eighth embodiment, is that the rotor sweeps anenlarged arc, encountering more wind. One or more regions of stability,or harmonic nodes, having a more balanced rotor configuration, such asthat of FIG. 10, may be combined on the same tower/driveshaft with aconfiguration such as this. One can quickly see that a wide variety ofrotor configurations, combinations, and permutations thereof, arepossible, within the scope of the present invention.

10. FIGS. 14 and 15 show a floating marine installation. Here themounting means 3 is buoyant, being less dense than water, and floats atthe surface 1 of a body of water. The bearing support means 4, herecomprising a rigid hollow tube, extends below the water surface, beingheld down by the weight of ballast counterweight 67, attached to thelower end of the tube. The base means 2 is moored by anchor means 69,graphically represented as simple chains, extending from the mountingmeans 3 downward toward an unseen point of attachment below. Load 6,here shown as an electrical generator, is located at the top of the tubethat serves as bearing support means 4, allowing easy access forservice, and minimizing the likelihood of damage by water. The power maybe conveniently drawn off by means of continuous power conduit means 66,which here is an electric cable.

The cantilevered bearing means 5 comprises an axle 15 and two bearings11, securely retained within the hollow tube comprising bearing supportmeans 4, below the load 6. At the bottom, the ballast counterweight 67serves to counteract the combined forces of gravity and the wind uponthe tower/driveshaft and its attached rotors, as exerted through theleverage of its length. This counterweight, by being pulled downward,acts to maintain a substantially upward aim to the direction in whichthe lower section 7 of the tower/driveshaft 10, projects from thesurface 1. As in the previous embodiments, these same forces must bebourne by the bearings 11 of cantilevered bearing means 5. Increasingthe distance between the bearings helps to reduce the magnitude of theradial loading thereupon. Since this floating base with attached ballastcounterweight is not hard mounted, and therefore has some freedom ofdirectional aim, the entire assembly will tend to be naturally tilted ina downwind direction, with the degree of tilt commensurate with windspeed. Some advantages of marine installations are that higher speedwinds are generally found over bodies of water, since there are noobstacles to slow it, that no excavation of earth is needed for the baseto extend below the surface, and that valuable land is not used.

11. FIG. 16 shows a similar floating base similar to the previous, tenthembodiment, with two differences:

a. The load 6 is located below the bearings, instead of above.

b. The counterweight is replaced by an additional anchor means 69,attached to a convenient point near the lowest part of the entireassembly, which in this configuration happens to be the lower end of thesubstantially tubular bearing support means 4. This third point ofattachment helps this base to resist tilting with the wind.

These two particular differences from the tenth embodiment are onlyexemplary in nature, illustrative of such differences that can comprisea wide range of possible marine installations of the present invention.

12. FIG. 17: In this surprisingly simple version of the presentinvention, the axle 15, is comparatively enlarged in the radialdimension, and comprises a single rotating cylinder having a buoyantupper section 68, which is less dense than water, and therefore floats,and a heavy lower section comprising a ballast counterweight 67, whichis significantly more dense than water, and therefore sinks. Virtuallyall of the functions of the bearings 11, the bearing support means 4,and the mounting means 3, are here served by the buoyant axle with itscounterweighted end, and the water in which the axle floats. Thesefunctions include, but are not limited to:

a. acting as the cantilevered bearing means 5, by rotatably supportingthe tower/driveshaft and its attached rotors, in a substantiallyupwardly projecting direction, against the forces of gravity and thewind, as exerted through the leverage afforded by the length of thetower/driveshaft.

b. maintaining a substantially upright bias to the angular orientationof the tower/driveshaft by the natural ambient hydraulic pressure of thewater, which exerts an upward force by seeking to displace the buoyantupper end of the axle, while the lower end is pulled downward by its ownweight, including the rotating ballast counterweight 67 under theinfluence of gravity. For this reason the water itself is labeled 4,since it serves as the bearing support means.

c. allowing full rotational freedom, as provided by the liquid interfacebetween the cylindrical surface of the axle and the water in which itfloats. For this reason, this cylindrical surface, comprising a singleelongate liquid bearing, is labeled as bearing 11 in FIG. 17.

The lower end of the axle is coaxially coupled to the load 6, in thiscase an electrical generator. The load 6 is essentially stationary,being attached to non-rotating mount means 65, as moored by anchor means69, so that power may be conveniently drawn off through a continuouspower conduit means 66, in this case a simple electrical cable.

The extremely important point to grasp here is that the highly stressedbearings 11 of the cantilevered bearing means 5 in previous embodiments,are entirely replaced by the floating cylindrical axle with itscounterweighted lower end, and the water in which they float. Both theaxial and radial loads previously borne by the bearings 11 in previousembodiments are here borne by the water itself. This means that thisentire embodiment comprises just a single, floating, moving part, plusan attached load (generator) which depends therefrom. Without theattached load, since no solid part moves against any other solid part,this unitary rotating wind turbine structure could actually be said tohave zero moving parts, at least insofar as parts in mutual contactmoving with respect to one another, although without a load, it wouldalso seemingly have little or no purpose, and with no way to moor it, itwould eventually be blown away. It is nonetheless possible that a usecould be found for such a non-anchored apparatus, for instance as amigrating buoy, or that some type of load that simply rotates along withthe structure, perhaps interacting with the water, the geomagneticfield, or otherwise utilizing such rotation, could be found. The pointis that this new class of flexible windmill, having only a single movingpart, is in this embodiment, made yet even simpler, with the need forthe manufactured main bearings 11 of previous embodiments completelyeliminated.

The bearings of the load itself may be greatly less robust than thebearings 11 of the cantilevered bearing means 5, since they need onlybear the stresses due to the power transmitted by the rotation of theshaft, and of mooring the assembly against being blown away, but neednot generally provide the major portion of the support of the structure,since that function is provided by the floating, buoyant axle with itscounterweighted lower end. Such a floating, counterweighted axleconfiguration is easily fabricated by, for example, filling the bottomend of a hollow tube with gravel, sand, or concrete. Of course the typesof marine installations of the present invention represent just asampling of those possible. Other possibilities include being directlymoored to the seafloor, or, as will be disclosed in the next embodiment,not being moored to anything at all!

13. FIG. 18 shows a propeller-driven boat 79, whose underwater propeller77 is directly powered by the rotation of a windmill of the presentinvention. The cantilevered bearing means 5 is mounted directly to theboat, and supports the lower section 7 of the tower/driveshaft withrotational freedom, in a substantially vertical orientation. Thepropeller is driven by the propeller driveshaft 75, which is held by apropeller driveshaft bearing means 76. The propeller driveshaft 75 is inthis case flexible, and forms a rotational coupling between thepropeller and the tower/driveshaft, depending coaxially from the lowerend of the cantilevered bearing means 5, then curving back to make thedirectional transition to the substantially horizontal axis underwaterpropeller 77. In this embodiment, the entire driveline, including thepropeller 77, and indeed even the hull of the boat itself, can beconsidered, in a sense, to comprise the load 6. A steering means 62 isgraphically represented as a simple rudder. It is interesting to notethat, unlike conventional sailing craft, this boat has no troublesailing directly into the wind! In fact, the power extracted from thewind is greater when traveling upwind than downwind, due to increasedrelative wind speed and consequently increased apparent volumetric flowof air. Of course this is a simplified illustration, for sake of exampleonly, with no provision for stopping, or a reverse gear illustrated,though such are well within the known art of marine drivetrains.

Also, note should be taken that, while not illustrated, it is possibleto mount several such windmills on the same watercraft, within the scopeof the present invention, even projecting in different directions toavoid mutual entanglement.

14. FIG. 19 illustrates an example of a more usable marine drivetrain,for being mounted in a boat, having a power conversion unit (PCU) 71installed between the rotating tower/driveshaft, as supported by thecantilevered bearing means, above, and the propeller below. The PCU 71is driven by the axle 15, which is itself rotationally coupled to thelower section 7 of the tower/driveshaft, being essentially an extensionthereof, rotationally held by cantilevered bearing means 5. The PCUcomprises a brake means 81, and a typical marine transmission meansincluding reverse gear 82, which transmission 82 also serves to transferrotation from the substantially vertical axle 15 to the substantiallyhorizontal prop shaft 75. The brake 81 may be used to slow or stop therotation of the tower/driveshaft, and therefore may be used to controlpower during maneuvering, in a similar manner to that of a throttlebeing used to attenuate the power of an engine. Shifting to and fromreverse gear is also best accomplished under little or no power,therefore application of the brake allows shifting to occur whennecessary. The brake 81 also allows the craft to be “parked”, with thetower/driveshaft in a nonrotating state, and can therefore serve toprotect the tower/driveshaft from damage in excessively high winds.

15. FIG. 20 illustrates an example of an even more versatile, andsophisticated marine drivetrain, a wind/electric hybrid drive. In thisembodiment, the Power Conversion Unit 71 comprises a first clutch means73, a controllable, combination generator/reversible motor means 72, anda second clutch means 74. A continuous power conduit means 66 connectsthe generator/motor 72 to the power storage means 78, which in this casecomprises a bank of electrical batteries. (If the generator/motorproduced, for example, compressed air instead of electricity, the powerstorage means would comprise a high pressure air storage tank.)

This drivetrain is capable of several modes of operation:

a. The first mode is simple sailing, as in the previous two embodiments,with the rotation of the tower/driveshaft 10 directly powering thepropeller 77. Both clutches are engaged, and the motor/generator isswitched to a neutral state so as to offer no electromagnetic resistanceto rotation. Such sailing can proceed in any direction, no matter whatthe direction of the wind.

b. The second mode is sailing with both clutches 73, 74 engaged, withthe motor/generator switched to a generating mode that extracts only aportion of the rotational power as electricity, allowing the rest todrive the propeller 77. In such a mode, the PCU (Power Conversion Unit)71 functions as an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU), and maintains thebatteries 78 in a charged state, and/or contributes power to operatelighting, navigational instruments, computers, or electrical applianceswhile under way.

c. In a third mode, the first clutch 73 is engaged, while the secondclutch 74 is disengaged. The generator/motor 72 is caused to rotate bythe rotation of the lower section 7 of the tower/driveshaft, astransmitted by the axle 15 through the first clutch means 73. Thegenerator/motor 72 acts in its generator mode to charge the energystorage means 78, for later use. Since the second clutch means 74 isdisengaged, no power is transmitted to the propeller 77 below, so theboat can actually harvest wind energy while moored. The stored energymay be used to power lights and other appliances while moored or laterwhile underway, and/or for powered cruising.

d. Mode four: Sailing with power assist: The wind causes thetower/driveshaft to rotate, providing power to the drivetrain. Bothclutches are engaged, and the generator/motor 72 acts as a motor,providing additional power to the drivetrain, while draining thebatteries 78. The propeller receives both the power of the instant wind,and power stored in the batteries from previous wind, allowing fastertravel. This feature allows cruising to continue at full speed, evenwhen winds die down.

e. Powered cruising under electric drive only, with the upper clutch 73disengaged, and the lower clutch 74 engaged. The underwater propeller 77is powered by the motor/generator 72 acting as a motor, in the manner ofa conventional electric boat, and the tower/driveshaft, with itsattached rotors, does not contribute power.

f. Powered operation in reverse, with the upper clutch 73 disengaged,the lower clutch 74 engaged, and the generator/motor operating as amotor in reverse mode, supplying power to rotate the propeller in areverse direction, for backing up and maneuvering during docking.

The batteries, being heavy, may also serve as useful ballast, ifproperly placed. For example many sailboats utilize a heavy keel,weighted with up to several tons of lead, to stabilize the craft andprevent capsizing. If this lead ballast is in the form of batteries, adual purpose is served. If a boat is going to have a large amount oflead on board anyway, it might as well be utilized for its ability tostore power, as well as for its weight.

The preceding three embodiments are but examples of the myriad of marinedrives made possible by utilizing wind turbines of the presentinvention.

16. FIGS. 21 and 22 show a directionally adjustable version of thepresent invention wherein the base means 2 comprises both azimuthal andelevational directional orientation means; Both the horizontal andvertical components of the direction in which the tower/driveshaftprojects from the base means may be controlled. The horizontal, orazimuthal component, is in this case controlled by lateral rotation ofthe mounting means about horizontally rotatable azimuthal directionalorientation means 35 (here shown as a simple turntable), upon whichmounting means 3, as well as the rest of the base, is itself supported.The vertical component, or elevation angle, is controlled by anelevation angle control means 36, which in this case comprises a liftingmechanism 37, that raises and lowers the upper end of the bearingsupport means 4, the tubular enclosure that securely retains thebearings. This tubular bearing support means 4 pivots about a pivotmeans 38 at its lower end.

The exact aiming mechanism shown is exemplary only, serving toillustrate the point that the aim may be actively controlled in general.Many simple alternative mechanisms known in the art may be adapted. Notein FIG. 21 that the lower section 7 of the tower/driveshaft 10 isactually aimed into the wind at its base, but, proceeding upward, themiddle section 8 of the tower/driveshaft begins to bend back with thewind, until, at sufficient distance from the base, the upper section 9of the tower/driveshaft is eventually blown back into the oppositedirection—downwind. Such aiming technique may be used, for example, instrong winds that might otherwise blow the tower/driveshaft and attachedrotors too far over, resulting in ground contact. With the aim of thetower/driveshaft being pre-biased toward the wind, it reaches higherbefore being blown backward. In lighter winds, however, that don't bendthe tower/driveshaft as severely, the base is allowed to freely rotate,so as to naturally aim itself in a downwind direction. Additionalreasons for aiming the tower/driveshaft in a direction other thanvertical include the avoidance of other objects, such as buildings oreven other windmills, and bringing the system down for maintenance.

This embodiment exemplifies the strong tendency of the general flexibledesign disclosed herein to aim itself in the proper downwind direction,no matter what the direction of initial projection. The important pointis not the specific mechanism of aiming the windmill, but the fact thatit may be desirable, within the scope of the present invention, for thetower/driveshaft to project from the base in some direction other thanvertical.

Also to be considered within the scope of this embodiment, withreference to FIG. 22, are:

1. A version which the direction in which the tower/driveshaft projectsfrom the base is simply fixed, firmly locked in some direction otherthan vertical. Reasons for this could include directionally consistentprevailing winds, being mounted on a ship, building, bridge, or othervehicle or structure, or the avoidance of objects such as buildings,landforms, or other windmills.

2. A version in which the elevation angle, at which the flexibletower/driveshaft projects from the base in the vertical plane is fixedat an angle other than exactly vertical, while free rotation of the baseis allowed in the horizontal (azimuthal) plane. In this case thetower/driveshaft may emerge from the base means in a directionsufficiently parallel to the wind that horizontal-axis-type rotors mayeffectively be mounted quite close to the base end (as in the nextembodiment, shown in FIG. 23.) The freely rotating turntable base willnaturally allow the entire tower/driveshaft to passively aim itself in adownwind direction. Projection at a sufficiently low angle even allowsthe middle section 8 of the tower/driveshaft, to effectively beeliminated. (This middle section normally serves the purpose of makingthe directional transition between the substantially vertical lowersection of the shaft and the upper section with its attached rotors, bybending downwind.)

3. A version in which the elevation angle at which the tower/driveshaftprojects from the base is fixed, and the azimuthal orientation(rotational in the horizontal plane) is controlled or adjustable, ratherthan freely rotating.

4. A version having a fixed directional aim in the horizontal(azimuthal) plane, while the elevation angle (direction in the verticalplane) at which the tower/driveshaft projects from the base iscontrolled or adjustable. Reasons for such a configuration could includeinstallation in a location with directionally consistent winds that varyin strength, and having the ability to bring the system down formaintenance.

5. A version that can be operated in reverse, with a motor substitutedfor the load, so as to actually provide the motive interface to propel,and/or provide lift for, a vehicle.

17. FIGS. 23 and 24 show a version wherein the base means 2 comprises aresilient, directionally flexible, non-rotating mounting interface 39with a bias toward vertical (spring). This mounting interface,represented graphically by a simple coil spring, has directionalflexibility as in the previous embodiment, but is non-rotating, so thatpower may be conveniently drawn off by a Continuous Power Conduit Means66, such as a simple electric cable. The cantilevered bearing means 5 isattached to the mounting means 3 by a resilient, directionally flexible,non-rotating mounting interface 39, graphically represented by a coilspring. Such a flexible interface allows the cantilevered bearing means5 to be naturally aimed downwind by the tower/driveshaft. Both gravityand the force of the wind, as applied through the leverage of thetower/driveshaft 10 and the cantilevered bearing means 5, combine toforce the resilient mounting interface 39 to yield to a position wherethe tower/driveshaft projects from the cantilevered bearing means in asubstantially downwind direction. Depending on the magnitude of thedeflection, the tower/driveshaft may emerge from the cantileveredbearing means in a direction sufficiently parallel to the wind for thecoaxially attached horizontal axis type rotors 13 to functioneffectively even when placed fairly close to the basal end of thetower/driveshaft. In such a case, the resilient interface may beconsidered to have at least partially replaced the middle section 8 ofthe tower/driveshaft of the first embodiment, whose purpose is todeflect in a downwind direction.

18. FIGS. 25 and 27 show a rotating tower/driveshaft 10 as previouslydisclosed, extending downwind from a flexible mounting interface 39,shown for the sake of example. The key feature to note in thisembodiment is the helical lashing means 18, three of which wind theirway up the tower/driveshaft, from one rotor tip to the next,transmitting torque all the way from the most distant rotor back to thebase of the lower section 7 of the tower/driveshaft, where the torque istaken up by an armature means 16. Such lashing may, or may not, beelastic, have elastic properties, or be provided with elastic propertymeans (such as the slack uptake means 59, comprising elastic orresilient spring means in the seventy-third embodiment, as shown in FIG.98). The helical configuration may be preconfigured, or may result froma twisting deformation of the central shaft under load.

19. FIGS. 26 and 28 show a version having helical lashing means, likethe seventeenth embodiment, with the addition of continuous longitudinallashing means 20, shown extending from one rotor tip to the next, alongthe length of the tower/driveshaft, running substantially parallel tothe shaft. This longitudinal lashing acts to structurally augment thestiffness of the tower/driveshaft 10, by serving, when brought undertension, to oppose any longitudinal bending of the tower/driveshaft.This limits the downward, and downwind, bending behavior. Thesubstantially linear longitudinal configuration may be preconfigured, ormay result from a twisting deformation of the central shaft under load.

20. FIG. 29 shows a section of a driveshaft tower similar to that of theprevious, nineteenth embodiment shown in FIG. 28, with the addition ofreverse helical lashing means 19, that winds in the opposite directionof helical lashing means 18, and so does not help to transmit torquedownward, but may transmit it upward in cases where the lower rotorsencounter a sudden gust. This type of lashing acts to contribute to theoverall structural stiffness, interconnection, and integrity of thestructure as a whole. It may be incorporated with, or without, thelongitudinal lashing means 20.

21. FIG. 30 shows a section of a driveshaft tower similar to that of thetwentieth embodiment shown in FIG. 29, with the addition of latitudinallashing means 21 (substantially perpendicular to shaft), that winds in acircumferential circuit from rotor tip to rotor tip, of the same rotor.Such lashing helps, by acting in tension, to transmit torque from oneblade to the next, as an interim step before it is finally transmitteddownward, and may likewise contribute toward its transmission upward, orotherwise contribute to the overall structural stiffness,interconnection, and integrity of the structure as a whole.

22. This embodiment, shown in FIGS. 31, 32, and 33, is similar to thefirst embodiment, except that in this case the tower/driveshaft 10comprises an open latticework structure 53, rather than a solid shaft.In operation, as with other windmill towers, this flexible, rotating,latticework column, serving as a tower/driveshaft, can have higherstrength for a given weight, more effectively transmit torque, and maycast less wind shadow than a solid tower, by allowing some wind to passthrough it. Such an open latticework structure 53 may be comprised of,for example, struts. Referring to FIG. 32, One such strut 54 memberextends diagonally from top to bottom in the direction of rotation. Astrut so placed would tend to transmit torque exerted by the rotorsdownward in compression. A strut placed in the opposite diagonaldirection would tend to transmit the torque downward in tension. Theseare only examples. Many lattice structures are possible, within thescope of the present invention. The tower/driveshaft 10 of such anembodiment may be said to resemble, for instance, a floppy truss-typeradio tower with no guy wires. In FIG. 33, The base 2 is seen in acloser, cutaway depiction showing that the cantilevered bearing means 5may comprise, for example, a bearing support means 4, such as thesubstantially vertical cylindrical enclosure means shown, with a pair ofbearings 11, one mounted at each end. The bearings 11 rotatably supporta substantially vertical rigid axle 15, upon which the power takeoffmeans 14 and the tower/driveshaft 10 are coaxially mounted, as in thefirst embodiment. As in other embodiments, the radial loads on thebearings 11 may be lessened by increasing the distance between them.

FIGS. 34 and 35 illustrate two examples of how a desired bendingresponse may be built into a tower/driveshaft of the present invention,so that each section of the tower/driveshaft 10 is specifically tailoredto its intended purpose:

23. In FIG. 34, depicting the twenty-third embodiment, the lower section7 is thick and substantially rigid, serving to attain distance from theground, like the tower of a conventional windmill, with the added dutyof transmitting torque, and therefore mechanical power, downward by itsrotation. At a desired height the lower section 7 gives way to thelongitudinally more flexible middle section 8 of the shaft. This middlesection 8 of the shaft is depicted as being thinner than either thelower section 7, or the upper section 9, to denote that this middlesection 8 is more longitudinally flexible. Many known structural means,other than simply making the shaft thinner, could also be utilized toprovide such enhanced longitudinal flexibility. This increasedflexibility allows an enhanced bending transition toward horizontal,reducing the required length of this middle section 8. This reduces theoverall mass, as well as the overall height, and the horizontalextension, of the tower/driveshaft, which in turn reduces the levermoment applied at the base, and so reduces the radial loads which mustbe born by the bearings comprising cantilevered bearing means 5. At apoint where the tower/driveshaft 10 is sufficiently parallel to the windfor an attached rotor 13 to effectively contribute toward its rotation,the upper section 9 of the shaft begins. Rotors are coaxially attachedat intervals along this upper section of the shaft. Further bending ofthe shaft beyond this point will tend to increase the wind shadow effectfrom one rotor to the next, so for added stiffness, this upper section 9of the shaft begins thicker than the middle section 8, while taperingtoward its distal end 99, to save weight. The gyroscopic effect of eachrotor 13 tends to stabilize the shaft in the region where that rotor isattached. As described in the first embodiment, the aggregatestabilizing effect is quite significant, substantially reducing wildswings and gyrations of the shaft in gusty conditions.

Note that in this illustration, the mounting means 3, which maycomprise, for example, a concrete footing, extends sufficiently farbelow the surface 1 that the cantilevered bearing means 5, also belowthe surface, is substantially embedded within the mounting means. Theload is at the surface for easy access. Since the base and load do notrotate, power may be easily extracted from the assembly by a continuouspower conduit means 66. This base configuration is an example, whichneed not be exclusively associated with this embodiment of thetower/driveshaft.

24. FIG. 35: The twenty-fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 35 is similar tothat of the previous embodiment, shown in FIG. 34, except that in thiscase, no well-defined delineation exists between the stiffer, thickerlower section 7, and the thinner, more flexible middle section 8 of thetower/driveshaft. The tower/driveshaft simply gradually tapers withincreasing distance from the base, becoming thinner and more flexibleuntil, sufficiently bent in a downwind direction for coaxially attachedhorizontal axis type rotors to effectively contribute toward rotation,it transitions to the upper section 9, which again begins thicker foradded stiffness, tapering toward its distal end 99 to save weight.

It is important to note that the differences between the firstembodiment, and the twenty-third and twenty-fourth embodiments may beinterpreted as simply a matter of degree, involving how thick, or stiff,one chooses to make the tower/driveshaft 10 at any point along itslength, in order to fine tune its behavior under differing conditions.The designations of the different sections of the shaft are onlyintended as a simplified illustration of the basic concepts involved.Other variations of stiffness or thickness along the length of the shaftmay occur to other designers for whatever reason.

25. FIGS. 36 and 78: The twenty-fifth embodiment is similar to the firstembodiment, except for having only one rotor. As in the firstembodiment, the substantially rigid lower section 7 of thetower/driveshaft 10 is substantially vertical to achieve height,rotationally supported, in an upwardly cantilevered manner, bycantilevered bearing means 5. FIG. 78 shows a closer view of the base,wherein the cantilevered bearing means comprises a vertical axle 15,rotationally supported by a pair of vertically spaced bearings 11,securely retained by a rigid bearing support means 4, which in this casecomprises a rigid, hollow, vertical tube. The middle section, 8 bends,and the upper section 9 therefore has a substantially horizontalcomponent to its direction, allowing any coaxially attached, horizontalaxis rotors to effectively harness the energy of the wind. In this case,rather than a multiplicity of rotors, we utilize only a single,three-bladed, horizontal axis type rotor. The power takeoff means 14,mounted to the mounting means 3 and attached to the rigid lower section7 of the tower/driveshaft, above the cantilevered bearing means 5,supplies ratio gearing to convert the relatively slow rotation of thissingle rotor 13 to a faster rotational rate suitable for driving agenerator 6.

26. FIG. 37: The twenty-sixth embodiment is similar to the twenty-fifth,having only a single horizontal axis type rotor, but with the additionof a Darrieus type vertical axis type of rotor 44, coaxially mounted tothe lower section 7 of the tower/driveshaft 10. The two rotors, one avertical axis type rotor 44, one a horizontal axis type rotor 13, workin tandem, turning the same tower/driveshaft 10 in unison. The upper,horizontal axis type rotor 13 makes the machine self-starting, and islocated at a substantial distance from the surface to capture more windenergy. The lower, vertical axis rotor 44 adds to the total amount ofpower collected, by making extra use of the rotating, rigid, verticalshaft comprising the lower section 7 of the tower/driveshaft, necessaryto support the upper rotor, and to transmit its rotation to the base 2.This lower rotor, being closer to the base 2 than the upper rotor,applies less leverage on the base 2 and therefore contributes lessradial loading to the bearings 11 of cantilevered bearing means 5. Thesubsurface base of the sixth embodiment, shown in FIG. 9, was chosen asan example, but another type of base could be used. This embodiment canalso be thought of as coupling the middle section 8 and the uppersection 9 of the tower/driveshaft 10 of a windmill of the presentinvention, with a standard Darrieus type of windmill, to make theDarrieus machine self-starting, and also add to the amount of power itcan produce. This embodiment therefore overcomes one of the maindrawbacks of a Darrieus machine, that it is not self-starting, makingthe Darrieus machine a viable alternative to conventional,horizontal-axis wind turbines.

27. FIG. 38: The twenty-seventh embodiment is similar to thetwenty-sixth, further comprising additional rotors of each type.Coaxially mounted to the lower section 7 of the tower/driveshaft aremultiple Darrieus type vertical axis rotors 44; In this case two areshown, but more can be added within the scope of the present invention.Some of the uppermost vertical axis type rotors 44 may encroach upon themiddle section 8 of the tower/driveshaft, yet remain sufficientlyvertical to contribute toward the shaft rotation. Coaxially attached tothe upper section 9 of the tower driveshaft are a multiplicity ofhorizontal axis-type rotors, as in the first embodiment. This embodimentcombines several horizontal axis turbine rotors, with a multiplicity ofvertical axis turbine rotors, including a means of rotationallysupporting them all at an effective height, and harnessing theircombined power to run a load, with automatic directional orientationguidance, all using only “a single moving part”.

28. FIG. 39 The twenty-eighth embodiment, somewhat similar to theprevious, twenty-seventh embodiment, having multiple rotors of both thehorizontal type 13, and vertical axis type 44. This embodiment utilizesguy wires 55, attached to a hub means 56, which comprises a bearing 11,which is the upper bearing of cantilevered bearing means 5, coaxiallyaligned with, mounted to, and horizontally supporting, with rotationalfreedom in the horizontal plane, the upper end of the vertical rigidaxle 15, which in this embodiment, is coincident with the rigid lowersection 7 of the tower/driveshaft. Cantilevered beating means 5 in thiscase therefore comprises the bearings 11, the bearing support means 4,(which, in addition to the usual cylindrical housing, that here holdsonly the lower bearing, also comprises the hub means 56, and the guywires 55, as moored to the surface itself), and the lower section 7 ofthe tower/driveshaft, which in this case is rigid along its entirelength, and therefore also serves the function of the axle 15, and is solabeled. So here, since the cantilevered bearing means 5 is mostly abovethe surface, and is therefore exposed to the wind, it is provided withvertical axis rotors to help turn the shaft. The advantages to thisdesign over, say, the first, fifth, and sixth embodiments include, butare not limited to:

a. The overall structure is shorter, since the axle 15 does not extendas far underground, but instead doubles as the lower section of thetower/driveshaft 7, being coincident therewith.

b. The rigid axle 15 can be easily made longer, without providing itwith a deep subsurface excavation and a commensurately long undergroundtubular bearing support housing 4, since it is located primarily abovethe surface, and can be made as long as the lower section 7 of the towerdriveshaft.

c. The excavation, being less deep, is easier and safer to dig.

d. The cylindrical housing comprising bearing support means 4 isshorter, requiring less material.

e. Problems related to deep excavations, such as water accumulation andaccess for maintenance, are lessened.

f. The bearings can be less robust, since:

1. the longer axle 15 allows the bearings 11 to be separated more,adding to their combined leverage.

2. the leverage that the middle section 8, and the upper section 9 withits attached rotors, can exert upon these bearings is now less as well,without the additional leverage length that the lower section 7 adds inother embodiments.

g. The vertical axis rotors 44 add to the power generated by thehorizontal axis rotors, making this a more powerful machine.

29. FIG. 40 shows a machine similar to that of the twenty-eighthembodiment, except for having no vertical axis blades. Such aconfiguration has many of the advantages of the previous embodiment,while allowing more availablity of the land below for other uses, suchas agriculture. The cantilevered bearing means 5 comprises the twobearings 11, and the rigid axle 15, which is also, in this case, thelower section 7 of the tower/driveshaft. As in the previous embodiment,the axial loading on each individual bearing 11 is lessened byincreasing the distance between them, with such increased distance beingfacilitated by having the axle 15 above the surface. This axial loadingis further reduced by the fact that, since the lower section of thetower/driveshaft is now also part of the rigid axle 15, which is part ofcantilevered bearing means 5, less of the tower/driveshaft projectsabove the cantilevered bearing means 5, reducing the leverage exerted bythe projecting remainder of the tower/driveshaft 10 thereupon.

30. FIG. 41 The thirtieth embodiment is similar to the twenty-fifthembodiment, having a single downwind horizontal axis rotor, with theload 6 located above the surface, driven by a power takeoff means 14,which is rigidly attached to, and driven by, the rigid, rotating axle15. Additionally, as in the previous two embodiments, this embodimentalso utilizes guy wires 55, attached to a hub means 56, which comprisesa bearing 11, which is the upper bearing of cantilevered bearing means5, coaxially mounted to, and horizontally supporting, with rotationalfreedom in the horizontal plane, the upper end of the vertical rigidaxle 15, which is, here again, coincident with the lower section 7 ofthe tower/driveshaft. As in these previous two embodiments, this allowsthe axle 15 to be made longer, lessening the axial load on the bearings11, and requires no deep excavation for installation.

31. FIG. 42 The thirty-first embodiment shows a wind farm, comprising amultiplicity of the turbines of the twenty-eighth embodiment, arrangedin a rectangular grid pattern, separated by a sufficient distance thatcollisions between turbines are prevented. Around the perimeter of thegrid, guy wires 55 extend from the surface to each hub 56. Within thegrid, horizontal guy wires 57 connect each hub 56 to its neighbors,leaving the surface below, within the grid, uncluttered by guy wires, sothat the land may be more easily utilized for other purposes, such asagriculture.

32. FIGS. 43 and 44 show a wind turbine similar to the twenty-seventhembodiment, having a vertical axis rotor 44, coaxially mounted to thelower section 7 of the tower/driveshaft, and horizontal axis type rotors13 coaxially mounted to the upper section 9 of the tower/driveshaft.Here the vertical axis rotor 44 is comprised of elongate, substantiallystraight, longitudinally oriented, vertical axis type blades 40, runningparallel to the lower section 7 of the tower/driveshaft and mounted tothe ends of armatures 16, which are vertically spaced at intervalstherealong. Another key feature in this embodiment to note is that thetower/driveshaft extends past even the upper section 9, forming adownward hanging distal section 98, to which additional horizontal axisrotors are coaxially mounted. The length of this downward-hanging distalsection 98 is limited by the overall stiffness of the tower/driveshaft;It may extend only as far as its attached horizontal axis type rotorsremain sufficiently perpendicular to the wind to contribute to, ratherthan hinder, the rotation of the tower/driveshaft.

33. FIGS. 45 and 46 show a version similar to the previous embodiment,having both vertical axis rotors and horizontal axis rotors. The keyfeature here is that both types of rotors are mounted along the entirelength of the tower driveshaft, rather than being restricted to theupper or lower section, and are interconnected to each other. Thehorizontal axis type blades 13 serve as the armature means to which thevertical axis type blades 41 are connected. The vertical axis typeblades 41 of this embodiment differ from the vertical axis blades 40 ofthe previous embodiments, in that they also serve as structuralcomponents of the tower/driveshaft; These vertical axis blades serve aslongitudinal lashing means 20 when under tension, and may otherwisecontribute strength to the structure as a whole by their stiffness, orrigidity, and by resistance to compression forces. During one rotationof the tower/driveshaft, each longitudinal vertical axis type blade 41is placed alternately under tension, then compression. Since thetower/driveshaft is constantly twisted by the wind in one direction,along its entire length, these elongate vertical axis blades may evenassume somewhat of a helical configuration of the type illustrated inFIG. 52 when under load. Referring to FIG. 45, notice that thistower/driveshaft is so long in relation to its stiffness, that theentire distal section 98 of the structure hangs significantly downward.At some point, its direction of downward projection will have asufficient vertical component that the attached vertical axis typeblades 41 in that region will begin to be aerodynamically affected in amanner favorable to rotation. While one may wonder at first glancewhether the aerodynamic forces on the vertical axis blades of thisdownward hanging distal section would tend to augment, or to counter,the rotational forces exerted by the rest of the blades, remember,vertical axis type blades, in general, are equally responsive to windfrom any direction. These vertical axis rotors don't “know” or “care”whether they are upside down or right side up, or from which directionthe wind comes, only that they are rotating, and that wind flows throughthem, substantially perpendicular to their longitudinal axis. Therefore,it is extremely important to note that this distal section 98, eventhough “upside-down”, still contributes toward, rather than detractsfrom, the overall rotation of the tower/driveshaft.

(In fact, if the base 2 of such a turbine is installed at a point higherthan the surrounding surface, as illustrated in FIG. 51, where a similarwindmill is mounted atop a building, the downward hanging distal section98 may actually comprise the most significant power-generating portionof the of the tower/driveshaft, extending well below even the baseitself, and harvesting more total wind energy than any other section.)

An advantage of the wind turbine of this embodiment is that, if allsections of this tower/driveshaft are similar, it can be fabricated in auniform, modular fashion; Virtually the entire tower/driveshaft 10,including the horizontal axis type rotors and the longitudinal verticalaxis blades, can be prefabricated in easy-to-ship, identical sections,then assembled in the field. Or, the elongate blades can be rolled up onspools for shipping, then attached to the armature rotors in the field.

Alternatively, if we are willing to give up the cost savings of uniformparts throughout, the components of each section of the tower/driveshaftmay vary, being optimized for their particular function, placement, andorientation. For example, the “horizontal axis type rotors” 13 which aremounted to the vertical lower section 7 of the tower/driveshaft are notproperly oriented to contribute aerodynamically toward the overallrotation of the tower/driveshaft. They exist primarily to serve asarmatures 16 for the vertical axis blades. In fact, the wide blades of aconventionally-shaped horizontal axis type rotor, in this instance wouldtend to produce drag, rather than contributing toward rotation.Therefore these lower rotors 13, serving mainly as armatures, shouldoptimally be streamlined to reduce drag, and need not be shaped togenerate rotational forces from the wind.

The shape of the horizontal axis rotors 13 of the middle section 8,being somewhere between parallel and perpendicular to the wind, mayoptimally be somewhere between that of a simple streamlined armature andthat of a dedicated horizontal axis turbine rotor, or may be otherwiseoptimized for the type of airflow they will encounter in their positionalong the bending tower/driveshaft.

The horizontal axis rotors of the upper section 9 of thetower/driveshaft, on the other hand, being substantially perpendicularto the wind, are fully aerodynamically functional, and should be soshaped.

Proceeding toward the distal end 99 of the tower/driveshaft, as itbegins to point in an increasingly downward direction, at some point thehorizontal axis type rotors 13, once again may become aerodynamicallyineffective due to improper orientation, and therefore serve primarilyas armatures for mounting the vertical axis type blades, which doindeed, once again, become effective in this downward hanging distalsection 98. Here again, in this distal section 98 the aerodynamic shapeof the horizontal axis type rotors/armatures 13 may be adjusted towardbeing simply streamlined, to function as armatures, rather than beingshaped as a fluid reactive surface in an attempt to generate rotationalforces, (although very strong winds may still blow this distal sectionto a more horizontal direction). Similarly, the longitudinal blades 41of the vertical axis type rotors, where they pass through the uppersection 9 of the tower/driveshaft, are not properly oriented to producepower, but instead serve as structural members, and so may be shaped tosimply minimize drag, rather than to produce rotation, although thisdifference in shape is less pronounced than that of the horizontal axistype rotors. Other differences in rotor shape, depending on position,could include diameter and pitch. For example, faster winds are found athigher altitudes. Since the blade tip speed is proportional to windspeed, if all rotors have the same diameter, the higher altitude rotorswill be driven to rotate faster than lower altitude rotors, creating apossible discrepancy in optimal rotational rate from one section of theshaft to the next. Since the whole shaft turns as a unit, lower rotorsmay tend to slow the higher rotors, reducing overall efficiency. Thiseffect may be mitigated by slightly increasing the diameter of thehigher altitude rotors, or by varying their pitch.

In the final analysis, whether or not the rotors are uniform throughoutthe tower/driveshaft, or are tailored for their specific placement, isbased on cost. At one, low cost extreme, all rotors and sections ofblade, and therefore all modules of a modular construction, are exactlyidentical. At the other, high cost manufacturing extreme, each rotor, orsection of blade, is specifically designed to be optimized for its exactplacement. Between those two extremes, a limited number of types ofmodules, having different rotor, and blade variations, may bemass-produced, with the best type for each position chosen from amongthose.

34. FIGS. 47 and 48: The thirty-fourth embodiment is similar to thethirty-third, except that here the central shaft has been eliminatedfrom all but the lower section 7 of the tower/driveshaft. In this lowersection 7, the central shaft is reduced to a vertical extension of theaxle 15, of sufficient length to provide a rotational coupling betweenthe tower/driveshaft 10 and the load 6. The longitudinal stiffness ofthe remainder of the tower/driveshaft is provided by the longitudinalvertical axis type blades 41, which alternate between tension andcompression once with every revolution. These longitudinal blades 41 aremaintained in their relative geometry by being connected at intervalsalong their length by the horizontal type rotors 13 that serve asarmatures. Torque transmission as well is provided by the stiffness ofthese longitudinal blades 41, as interconnected with these aerodynamicarmatures. The tower/driveshaft may therefore become twisted under load,so that these elongate blades 41 then assume a somewhat helicalconfiguration. The beauty of this configuration is that, with theexception of the vertical extension of the axle 15, which projectsupward into to lower section 7 of the tower/driveshaft, virtually everypart of this tower/driveshaft 10 is capable off serving the aerodynamicfunction of extracting mechanical rotational energy from the wind, inaddition to its structural duties, depending on wind strength anddirection. Like the latticework tower/driveshaft 53 of the twenty-secondembodiment, this tower/driveshaft 10 can be thought of as beingcomprised of struts 54. In this case, every strut 54 is a blade, andevery blade is a strut. Amost no element offered to the wind is wastedon only support, nor on only catching wind, as in prior art windmills.With the possible exception of the horizontal axis type rotors 13connected to the lower section 7 of the tower/driveshaft, practicallyall components, to some degree, serve both functions. Here is a selforienting windmill, having only a single moving part, whose blades alsoserve as its flexible, rotating, latticework tower. Whatever the winddirection or strength, every section of this serpentine windmill,however it may bend, has aerodynamic surfaces that will translate thatwind into localized forces that contribute to the rotation of thetower/driveshaft. It is easy to see that a myriad of possible structuresexist, within the scope of the present invention, for a tower/driveshafthaving similar combinations of blades acting as struts, for example, aconfiguration based on four- or five-bladed, rather than three-bladedrotors, or one with struts at various geometric angles, having variouscombinations of aerodynamic properties, all acting in concert to causethe tower/driveshaft as a whole to rotate.

35. FIGS. 49 and 50 The thirty-fifth embodiment is similar to thethirty-fourth, having no central shaft, but with the addition ofdiagonal torque transmission lashing means 18 running diagonally fromproximate one horizontal axis type rotor 13 blade tip to the next,wrapping its way helically upward in the direction of rotation. Thislashing, while producing some wind drag and not contributingaerodynamically toward rotation, greatly increases the torquetransmission capabilities of the tower/driveshaft, acting to helpprevent excessive twisting of the structure.

36. FIG. 51 Shows a windmill similar to that of the thirty-fourthembodiment, mounted atop a building 80, with the base 2 beingsubstantially embedded within the structure of the building. The hangingdistal section 98 of the tower/driveshaft 10 actually extends below thelevel of the base, with its length limited by the height of thebuilding, minus that of other obstacles below. Such turbines may beinstalled at any convenient perch, such as hilltops, utility poles,water towers, etc.

37. FIG. 52 illustrates a section of a tower/driveshaft similar to thatof the thirty-third embodiment, having both horizontal axis type, andcontinuous elongate vertical axis type blades. The direction of rotationis counterclockwise, as viewed from above, with the left side coming outof the page, toward the viewer. The horizontal axis type blades 13 serveas armature means to which helically wrapped vertical axis blades 42 aremounted. The elongate vertical axis type blades 42 wrap in a helicalfashion, proceeding from bottom to top, in the direction of rotation,connecting the tips of the blades of each horizontal axis rotor withthose of the next. These helically wrapped vertical axis blades serve asdiagonal lashing means, transmitting torque downward in tension, likethe diagonal lashing means 18 of the eighteenth embodiment, shown inFIG. 27. Such a helical configuration of these elongate vertical axistype blades may be a prefabricated feature, or may also result from thenatural twisting forces exerted by the wind, as transmitted downwardalong the length of the tower/driveshaft. The central shaft 10 may, ormay not be included, depending on the strength of the blades. Theadvantage of this helical configuration is that the upper horizontalaxis rotors pull the vertical axis blades in the direction of rotation,which then pull the rotors and blades below them, and so on all the waydown the tower/driveshaft, thereby transmitting the torque of all rotorsdown to the lowest rotors and to an armature 16 at the base of the lowersection 7 of the tower/driveshaft. A disadvantage is that, along theupper section 9 of the tower/driveshaft, which runs substantiallyhorizontal and parallel to the wind, these substantially vertical axisblades will cease to function in their usual vertical axis mode. Yetstill they are exposed to the wind, and indeed present a surfaceconfiguration thereto, having, to some extent, the form of anArchimedian screw. Any such aerodynamic rotational forces generated inthe manner of a simple Archimedian screw on these elongate helicalblades, however, will be counter to the direction of rotation, due tothe direction of their helical wrapping.

38. FIG. 53 shows a configuration similar to that of the previous,thirty-seventh embodiment, in that the vertical axis blades wrap in ahelical fashion along the length of the tower/driveshaft. The differenceis that the direction in which the vertical axis blades wrap around thestructure is reversed. These vertical axis blades 43 wrap, in thedirection of rotation, from top to bottom, rather than vice-versa, andhelp to transmit torque downward in compression, rather than in tension.It should be apparent that the helical, vertical axis blades 42 of theprevious embodiment, wrapping in the opposite direction, would have theadvantage in that they transmit torque in tension, rather than incompression. Nevertheless, any forces generated on these helical blades43 in the manner of a simple Archimedian screw will be with thedirection of rotation, rather than against it.

39. FIG. 54 shows an embodiment similar to the previous, thirty-eighthembodiment, having vertical axis blades, helically wrapped, from top tobottom in the direction of rotation, additionally having torquetransmission lashing means 18 which wraps from bottom to top, in thedirection of rotation, transmitting torque downward in tension. (Thisovercomes the problem of the thirty-eighth embodiment, that the torqueis only transmitted downward in compression along the blades.)

40. FIG. 55 shows a combination of the thirty-seventh, and thethirty-eighth embodiments, having elongate vertical axis type blades 42,43 helically wrapped in both directions, together comprising acylindrical repeating geometric pattern of vertical axis type rotorblades 52, with the repeated geometry comprising a diamond, ortrapezoidal shaped, four-sided polygon. The blades that wrap from bottomto top in the direction of rotation 42 serve to transmit torque downwardin tension, while the blades that wrap from top to bottom in thedirection of rotation 43 will transmit torque downward in compression.The central shaft 10 may or may not be included, as necessary.Horizontal axis rotors having four, five, or more blades mayalternatively be utilized, to create a denser, more continuous geometricpattern.

41. Not illustrated If the central shaft of the previous, fortiethembodiment, shown in FIG. 55 is not included, then the entiretower/driveshaft comprises only fluid reactive components, or blades.That configuration, then, forms this forty-first embodiment. Every bladeis a strut and every strut is a blade. Along most sections of such atower/driveshaft, every part can aerodynamically contribute to overallrotation in some way, in any wind, from any direction, depending on howthe tower/driveshaft may bend or swing about, and every part helps tophysically support the parts above it, as well as to form an integralelement of the structure that transmits torque downward.

42. FIG. 56 shows a section of a serpentine windmill that is similar tothat of the thirty-seventh embodiment, having helically wrapped verticalaxis type blades 42, additionally comprising continuous longitudinalvertical axis type blades 41 that double as a linear lashing andstructural means. These help strengthen the structure, greatly adding toits overall bending strength. Of course, the central shaft 10 may or maynot be included.

43. FIG. 57 shows a section of a serpentine windmill that is similar tothat of the thirty-ninth embodiment, having vertical axis bladeshelically wrapped from top to bottom in the direction of rotation 43,and torque transmission lashing 18, helically wrapping its way up thetower/driveshaft, from tip to tip of successive horizontal axis rotors13, in the direction of rotation, from bottom to top. The key newfeature of this embodiment, as in the previous embodiment, is theaddition of continuous longitudinal vertical axis type blades 41. Theseaerodynamically shaped blades of course help the structure rotate, andalso help strengthen the structure longitudinally, greatly adding to itsoverall bending strength. Of course, as in other similar embodiments,the central shaft 10 may or may not be included.

44. FIG. 58 shows an embodiment similar to the fortieth embodiment,having vertical axis type blades that wrap helically in both directions42, 43, with the additional feature of having elongate longitudinalvertical axis type blades 41, as in the previous embodiment. Since thesevertical axis type blades run in three directions, they form alatticework of repeating triangles, comprising a cylindrical repeatinggeometric pattern of vertical axis type rotor blades 52. Such aperforated cylindrical configuration is capable of being made stronger,and therefore taller, than one relying only on a central shaft for itsstrength.

45. FIG. 59 This forty-fifth embodiment is the latticeworktower/driveshaft of the previous, forty-fourth embodiment, comprised ofboth horizontal axis type rotors 13 and vertical axis type blades, withthe vertical axis type blades running longitudinally 41, and wrappinghelically in both directions 42, 43, but without the central shaft. Herethe entire structure acts together to form the composite cylindricaltower/driveshaft 10, comprising a cylindrical repeating geometricpattern of vertical axis type rotor blades 52. Every strut is a bladeand every blade is a strut. Any section of the elongate structure ofthis tower/driveshaft 10 has fluid reactive surfaces that will act toharness rotational energy from any wind, coming from any direction. Thisexact geometric configuration is exemplary only, with many variations onthis general theme, of an elongate flexible rotating structurecomprising both horizontal axis type and vertical axis type fluidreactive blades, being possible. More blades, struts, or lashing means,serving to further tie the structure together, could certainly be addedwithin the scope of the present invention, working from the generalprinciples disclosed herein.

46. FIGS. 60, 61, 62, and 63: This forty-sixth embodiment is similar tothe thirty-second embodiment, in that the lower section 7 of thetower/driveshaft 10 is surrounded by vertical axis type rotor blades,attached to armatures 16, while the upper section 9 has only horizontalaxis rotors 13. Here the form taken by these vertical axis type bladesis a cylindrical, repeating geometric pattern of aerodynamic struts, asin the previous embodiment, with the repeating geometric form comprisingthis exterior cylinder being the hexagon, rather than the triangle ofthe previous embodiment. These struts comprise the vertical axis typeblades 54, which run at about a 30 degree angle from parallel to theinner shaft, and act to contribute aerodynamically to the rotation ofthe structure, and the circumferentially oriented, aerodynamicallyshaped struts 51, which are substantially perpendicular to the innershaft, and therefore contribute little, if any, aerodynamic forces tothe overall rotation, but nevertheless provide structural integrity. Thehexagons may alternatively run at a different angle, such as, forexample, rotated by thirty degrees from those described above. Note thatthe armatures 16 are illustrated as being aerodynamically shaped ashorizontal axis type rotors, although this is not a necessarycharacteristic of this embodiment.

47. (Not illustrated) The forty-seventh embodiment is the same as theprevious, forty-sixth embodiment shown in FIGS. 60-63, except that thehexagons do alternatively run at a different angle, rotated by thirtydegrees from those described above. In this embodiment, theaerodynamically shaped struts run both longitudinally, and at an angleof 60 degrees thereto, to form regular hexagons. Some other angle ofoffset for these non-longitudinal struts, such as 45 degrees, is alsopossible, to form non-regular hexagons. All struts, to some degree, actas vertical axis type blades, since none is exactly circumferential indirection. Other possible configurations for such an exteriorcylindrical shell of vertical axis type blades include, but are notlimited to, those of any honeycomb lattice type tube configuration, suchas those exemplified by “buckytubes” or “carbon nanotubes”, etc.

48. FIG. 64 In this embodiment the cylindrical latticework configurationof vertical axis blades 54 surrounding the lower section 7 is comprisedof repeating equilateral triangles, alternating between pointing up anddown. These triangles are comprised of aerodynamic struts, includingvertical axis type blades 54 oriented at about 30 degrees from parallelto the central shaft, and circumferentially oriented struts 51, runningsubstantially perpendicular to the central shaft. These vertical axisblade struts 54, when considered as connected from end to end, alsocollectively form continuous elongate helically wrapped vertical axisblades 42 and 43, as in the thirty-seventh through forty-fifthembodiments. The helically wrapped blades 42 run from bottom to top inthe direction of rotation, transmitting torque down the tower/driveshaftin tension. The helically wrapped blades 43 run from top to bottom inthe direction of rotation, transmitting torque down the shaft incompression. Again, other angles are possible for such a pattern, eithercollectively, or referring to the three directions of its constituentstruts, relative to one another.

Lift Augmentation for the Tower/Driveshaft:

In previous embodiments, we have discussed how certain of the horizontalaxis rotors, depending on the position, may generate some lift, in themanner of a gyroplane. This lift, and more predominantly the stiffnessof the tower/driveshaft, as supported by the cantilevered bearing means5, have been the only forces holding the structure aloft until thispoint. In the following embodiments we outline means of augmenting theseforces, further helping to keep the structure of the tower/driveshaftand its attached aerodynamic blades aloft.

49. FIG. 65 In this forty-ninth embodiment, we introduce the concept ofa downwind cantilevered tail means 22, which functions like the tail ofan airplane. The tail is attached in a cantilevered manner, withrotational freedom, to the upper section 9 of a tower/driveshaft 10similar to that of the first embodiment, by cantilevered boom rotationalbearing means 26. A tail boom 23, extends downwind from the bearing 26.At the far end of the tail is lifting surface 24 (like the horizontalstabilizer of an airplane) and passive downwind tail orientation means25 comprising a substantially vertical surface (like that of thevertical stabilizer on an airplane). Any functional equivalent, such asa V-tail, a flexible tail, an inflated tail, or any other type of tailmeans, is to be considered within the scope of this invention.

As previously discussed, when a tower/driveshaft 10, with its attachedhorizontal axis rotors 13, begins to be bent downwind, and the axes ofthe rotors 13 are tilted back from vertical, the rotors, once spinning,begin to produce lift, as does a gyrocopter. The planar disk of eachspinning rotor forms a virtual “lifting surface”, somewhat like a kite,or like the wing of a tethered airplane, or glider, or morespecifically, like a tethered helicopter in autogyro mode. This lifthelps to support the tower/driveshaft against gravity. As thetower/driveshaft becomes increasingly bent over, however, the angle ofattack at which the disk of each rotor encounters the wind increases.While the rotor 13 produces more power when so tilted back, at a certainpoint it will begin to provide less vertical lifting force to thetower/driveshaft as a whole, as when an airplane wing “stalls”.

This tail 22 serves the same purpose as the tail of an airplane, toinfluence the “angle of attack” of the rotor 13, as if the rotor were awing, and thereby to substantially oppose its tendency toward“stalling”; The lift provided by the tail's lifting surface 24 tilts therotors 13 forward by applying a forward lever arm to the structure as awhole, (as does the tail of an airplane when the control yoke is pushedforward) as shown by the curved arrows.

In this embodiment a single tail 22 guides the distal section 98 of thetower/driveshaft 10, and its coaxially attached upper rotors 13, into amore forward angle of attack. These upper rotors then, guided by theforward pitch rotation exerted by the tail 22, help to pull the entiretower/driveshaft forward, tilting the rotors below into a more forwardposition as well, with these rotors further influencing the rotors belowto pull forward on the rotors below them, and so on down the line. Tosome extent, just as a train follows the engine, the lower rotors arebrought forward toward a less extreme angle of attack. The column ofrotors flies like a stack of kites, guided by the single tail 22.

50. In this, the fiftieth embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 66, multipletails 22 of the previous embodiment are rotationally attached atintervals, by means of cantilevered boom rotational bearing means 26,along the upper section 9 of the tower/driveshaft, between the rotors.Again, the column of rotors flies like a stack of kites, with eachvertical surface 25 serving to insure that the tail is blown downwind ofthe tower/driveshaft, and each horizontal lifting surface 24 serving toelevate that tail, thereby in the aggregate lifting the entire uppersection 9 of the tower/driveshaft, and applying a forward pitchingmoment thereto that serves to help elevate it, keeping thetower/driveshaft from being blown all the way over. The base 2 shown,similar to the base of the third embodiment, was chosen for the sake ofexample, and need not necessarily be associated with this embodimentover any other base.

51. FIG. 67 Here an entire lifting body 31, rather than just a tail, isattached to the distal end of the upper section 9 of the towerdriveshaft by means of suspension bearing means 33. The lifting body 31is aerodynamically lifted by the force of the wind, and flies like akite, or tethered glider, helping to support the tower/driveshaftagainst gravity, as well as helping to “steer” or guide the rotors 13below forward into a better lifting orientation, having less angle ofattack.

52. FIG. 68 This embodiment is a combination of the previous two, havingboth the multiple tails 22 of the fiftieth embodiment, as well as thelifting body of the previous, fifty-first embodiment. Each rotor/tailcombination acts as a lifting body, with the whole assembly additionallypulled upward by the dedicated lifting body 31. It is easy to see thatmany combinations of tails and/or lifting bodies could be used, withinthe scope of the present invention. The base 2, similar to that of thefourth embodiment, having the load 6 vertically sandwiched between thetwo bearings 11, was chosen as an example; alternative baseconfigurations could be used within the context of this embodiment.

53. In FIG. 69 the cantilevered tail boom 23 is extended to the upwindside of cantilevered boom attachment rotational means 26, formingcantilevered nose boom 28. A linear tension transmission means 29, suchas, for example, a cable, attached sequentially to the tip of each noseboom, pulls downward on the nose booms, pulling the entiretower/driveshaft forward, thereby helping to elevate it, in addition todecreasing the angle of attack presented by the disks of the spinningrotors, causing the rotors to migrate upwind. This linear tensiontransmission means 29 may have a substantial stiffness in the regionproximate the rotors, to avoid entanglement therewith. The passivedownwind tail orientation means 25, comprising the “vertical” surface oneach tail, insure that the tails are held in a downwind position, sothat the nose booms remain projecting upwind. In FIG. 70 we can see thatthe tension on linear tension transmission means 29 is provided bytension adjustment means 30, here illustrated as a simple winch, locatedat the base 2. A turntable base 35, similar to that of the sixteenthembodiment, allows the entire assembly to passively track the wind.

54. FIG. 71 shows a combination of the previous, fifty-third embodiment,having cantilevered tails 22 with forward projecting cantilevered nosebooms 28, and the fifty-first embodiment, having a lifting body 31attached to the tower/driveshaft by suspension bearing means 33. Thetension transmission means 29 is attached to the cantilevered nose booms28, and the nose of the lifting body 31, and thereby adjusts theattitude of not only the tails, but of the lifting body as well. Theentire assembly may be “flown” in the manner of a kite, or morespecifically, a stack of kites.

55. FIG. 72 In this embodiment, similar to the fifty-third embodiment,the tail 22 further comprises an adjustable elevator surface 45, whichis controlled by an actuating mechanism 46, with the particularmechanism illustrated pivoting at cantilevered boom rotational bearingmeans 26. This actuating mechanism, here comprising pivots and pushrods, pivotably supports the nose boom, and is responsive to the anglethereof. The tension transmission means 29 pulls downward on thecantilevered nose booms 28, pivoting the actuating mechanisms 46, whichadjusts the elevator surface 45. These components, along with thetension adjustment means 30, located proximate the base (as shown inFIG. 70) together comprise elevator control means 47. The control means47 and actuating mechanism 46 could comprise alternative methods andapparatus than that shown, be they electric, hydraulic, pneumatic,electronic, radio controlled, etc., within the scope of the presentinvention.

56. FIG. 73 This fifty-sixth embodiment is similar to the fifty-third,having tails 22, and projecting cantilevered noses 28 which are pulleddownward by a tension transmission means 29. Each rotor 13 turns withthe upper section 9 of the tower/driveshaft, being rotationally coupledthereto, but is allowed to tilt, being mounted on a Tilting Hub 48. Eachcantilevered boom rotational bearing means 26 is similarly mounted tothis tilting hub and so tilts with the rotor, while allowing the boom torotate independently thereof, so the tails can remain downwind. So therotor turns with the tower/driveshaft, but tilts with the nose and tail.Therefore, downward tension on the tension transmission means 29 caneasily tilt both the rotors and their attached tails forward, reducingtheir angle of attack, without having to pull the entiretower/driveshaft forward against the force of the wind, with the limitedleverage offered. Like a kite that is tilted forward, reducing its angleof attack, each rotor/tail combination will have an increased tendency,by its lift, to pull the tower/driveshaft upward and toward the wind.Through tension applied to tension transmission means 29, the entiretower/driveshaft may be caused to move to a more windward position, tofly, like a string of kites, to a position more overhead and lessdownwind, with less tension on tension transmission means 29 requiredthan in the fifty-third embodiment. By using the wind itself to helplift the tower/driveshaft, strain on the tower/driveshaft 10, base 2,and tension transmission means 29 are also reduced.

57. FIGS. 74 and 75 show an embodiment similar to the fifty-firstembodiment, with the upper section 9 of the tower/driveshaft suspendedfrom a lifting body by means of suspension bearing means 33. Thedifference here is that this lifting body 32 is buoyant, in the fluid inwhich it is suspended; in this example, it is inflated with a buoyantgas such as helium and/or hydrogen, to be buoyant in the atmosphere.This helps to elevate the tower/driveshaft even in low wind or zero windconditions. The buoyancy may augment, or largely replace, the stiffnessof the tower/driveshaft itself as a means of supporting the entire uppersection 9 of the tower/driveshaft and its attached horizontal axisrotors 13. Such an inflatable aerodynamic lifting body can also simplybe filled with air, or a mixture of gases, to be lightweight in theatmosphere, even if not fully buoyant. Alternatively, such a buoyantlifting body may simply comprise a bag, balloon, or other shape, whetherpreconfigured or indeterminate, that contains the buoyant gas withoutproviding significant aerodynamic lift. The fraction of lift provided bybuoyancy versus aerodynamic forces of a lifting body will therefore varydepending on the exact configuration, as well as the wind speed.

58. FIGS. 76, 77, and 78 In this fifty-eighth embodiment, the actualrotor blades 12 themselves are buoyant, inflated with a lightweight gas,in an embodiment otherwise similar to the first embodiment. Torque istransmitted down the length of the tower/driveshaft 10. The closeup viewof the base in FIG. 78 shows a typical configuration, similar to that ofthe first embodiment, with the lower section 7 of the tower/driveshaftextending upward from cantilevered bearing means 5, comprising an axle15, which is rotatably supported by two bearings 11. The low speed, hightorque rotation is converted to a higher speed rotation required by theload 6, via the ratio gearing provided in this case by power takeoffmeans 14. This lighter-than-air, downwind turbine remains aloft in zerowind conditions.

59. FIG. 79 This fifty-ninth embodiment is similar to the previousembodiment, having horizontal axis type rotors 13, whose buoyant blades12 are inflated with a gas such as helium or hydrogen, and so float inthe air. In this embodiment the rotors are held up by their buoyancy andaerodynamic lift only, not by the stiffness of the tower/driveshaft perse. The radial loading on cantilevered bearing means 5 is thus reduced.The base 2 comprises a non-rotating directionally compliant supportmeans 60, here comprising, as an example, a gimbal mounting frame. Sucha gimbal-equipped base is free to directionally track thetower/driveshaft, while not itself rotating, allowing the power to bedrawn off by means of continuous power conduit means 66.

60. FIG. 80 This sixtieth embodiment is similar to the fifty-seventhembodiment, with the upper section 9 of the tower/driveshaft, and itsattached horizontal axis type rotors being suspended by a buoyantlifting body 32 via suspension bearing means 33 (not visible, see FIG.75), while also incorporating the non-rotating directionally compliantsupport means 60, or gimbal mount, of the previous embodiment. Thisdownwind machine stays aloft even in low or no wind conditions.

61. FIGS. 81 and 82 This sixty-first embodiment is similar to thefifty-eighth embodiment, having buoyant rotor blades, with thetower/driveshaft projecting upward from the base 2, rotationallysupported by cantilevered bearing means 5, which comprises two bearings11 at either end of a vertical axle 15. A series of armature means 16are coaxially mounted to the tower/driveshaft, with helical torquetransmitting lashing means 18, wrapping sequentially from tip to tip ofthe armatures, from bottom to top, in the direction of rotation, helpingto transmit torque downward along the tower/driveshaft, as in theeighteenth embodiment, shown in FIG. 27.

62. FIG. 83 shows an embodiment similar to the fifty-ninth embodiment,having buoyant horizontal axis type rotor blades 13 and a directionallycompliant base 60, having the additional feature of helical torquetransmission lashing means 18, wrapping sequentially from the tip of oneblade to the tip of the next, and connecting at its lower end to anarmature means 16, mounted coaxially to the lower section of thetower/driveshaft 10, as in the eighteenth, and previous embodiments.

63. FIG. 84 shows an embodiment similar to the sixtieth embodiment,having multiple horizontal axis type rotors, with the tower/driveshaftsuspended from a buoyant lifting body 32, and having a directionallycompliant base, further comprising the additional feature of helicaltorque transmission lashing means 18, wrapping sequentially from the tipof one blade to the tip of the next, as in the eighteenth, and previousembodiments.

64. FIG. 85 shows the sixty-fourth embodiment, an embodiment similar tothe sixty-second embodiment, having buoyant horizontal axis rotors, anda vertically cantilevered flexible shaft comprising the lower, andmiddle sections 7, 8 of the tower/driveshaft, except that thisembodiment has no actual central shaft comprising the upper section 9 ofthe tower driveshaft, since, with the rotors being buoyant, an actualcentral shaft is not necessary to support the rotors. Nevertheless, thefunctions served in previous embodiments by this central shaft of theupper section 9, namely supporting the rotors and transmitting torque,are yet fulfilled by the buoyancy of the rotors, the aerodynamic forceson them, and the lashing 18. Therefore in a virtual sense, the uppersection 9 of the tower/driveshaft still exists, as a self elevating,wind harvesting, rotating elongate structure, even without the centralshaft.

65. FIGS. 86 and 87 show the sixty-fifth embodiment, having a buoyantlifting body 32, horizontal axis type rotors 13, and a tower/driveshaftthat projects vertically from the base 2, similar to the fifty-seventhembodiment. The difference is that in this embodiment, like the previousembodiment, the central shaft comprising the upper section 9 of thetower driveshaft has been largely removed, with the rotors instead beingsupported by the torque transmission lashing 18. Only the uppermost andlowermost rotors are still attached to a solid central shaft. Theuppermost rotor depends from the distal section 98 of thetower/driveshaft, which is itself rotationally supported from thebuoyant lifting body 32 by suspension bearing means 33. The lowermostrotor is coaxially mounted to the end of the middle section 8 of thetower/driveshaft. The rotors in between are suspended by the lashingmeans 18, which also rotationally transmits their torque downward to thelowest rotor, which acts as an armature in conveying that torque to themiddle section 8 of the tower/driveshaft.

66. FIG. 88 shows the sixty-sixth embodiment, an embodiment similar tothe sixty-fourth embodiment having horizontal axis type rotors withbuoyant blades, and no central shaft, but with the base 2 comprising anon-rotating directionally compliant support means 60, here comprising agimbal mounting frame, which can track the direction of the wind withoutitself rotating, so that power can be drawn off by means of continuouspower conduit means 66. Torque is transmitted from upper rotors downwardby torque transmission lashing 18, to an armature means 16, which drivesthe truncated lower section 7 of the tower/driveshaft, being coaxiallymounted thereto.

67. FIG. 89 shows the sixty-seventh embodiment, an embodiment similar tothe sixty-fifth embodiment having horizontal axis type blades, a buoyantlifting body and no central shaft, but with the base 2 comprising anon-rotating directionally compliant support means 60, as in theprevious embodiment, here comprising a gimbal mounting frame, which cantrack the direction of the wind without itself rotating, so that powercan be drawn off by means of continuous power conduit means 66. Torqueis transmitted from upper rotors downward by torque transmission lashing18, to an armature means 16, which drives the truncated lower section 7of the tower/driveshaft, being coaxially mounted thereto.

68. FIG. 90 shows the sixty-eighth embodiment, similar to thesixty-second embodiment, having buoyant horizontal axis type rotorblades 13 and a directionally compliant base 60, with helical torquetransmission lashing means 18, wrapping sequentially from the tip of oneblade to the tip of the next, and connecting at its lower end to anarmature means 16, mounted coaxially to the lower section 7 of thetower/driveshaft 10, as in the eighteenth embodiment. This embodimentadditionally comprises longitudinal linear lashing means 20, runningfrom rotor tip to rotor tip, substantially parallel to the centralshaft, to lend stiffness, or rigidity, to the structure as a whole.Additionally, the directionally compliant support means 60 furthercomprises a means for directional bias 61, which may be passive, andbiased toward vertical, as in resilient or spring-loaded, or powered, asin actively controlled. This directional bias means 61, when exerting aforce tending to aim the shaft toward vertical, acts to physicallyoppose the force of the wind blowing the tower/driveshaft over, as wellas reducing the angle of attack with which the spinning rotors encounterthe wind, which also helps to elevate the tower/driveshaft.

69. FIG. 91 This sixty-ninth embodiment is similar to the previousembodiment, except with the central shaft eliminated, as in thesixty-fourth embodiment. The tower/driveshaft 10 nonetheless stillexists, in the virtual sense, even without the central shaft, beingcomprised of the buoyant rotors, the longitudinal lashing means 20, andthe helical lashing means 18, as held in a rotationally stable elongateconfiguration by the bouyancy of the rotors and the force of the windagainst them, as constrained by the tension of the lashing means. Thelashing means in this case, particularly the helical lashing 18, mayhave elastic properties, or be provided with elastic means, such as thatof the seventy-third embodiment, to allow the tower/driveshaft structureto deform in a manner that would resemble a parallelogram if viewed fromthe side. The attitude, or pitch of the rotors may thereby be affectedby the influence of the means for directional bias 61 toward vertical,as transmitted through the lower section 7 of the tower/driveshaft, tothe armature 16, to the longitudinal lashing means 20, reducing theangle of attack of the rotors 13, thereby helping to keep the structureas a whole elevated.

70. FIGS. 92 and 93 This seventieth embodiment is similar to theprevious two, in that the base 2 has a directionally compliant supportmeans 60, with a means for its directional bias 61, whose bias towardvertical is transmitted to the rotors by means of armature 16 andlongitudinal lashing means 20. The horizontal axis type rotors shown arebuoyant, so as to remain aloft in low or no wind conditions, but couldalso be non-buoyant, within the scope of this embodiment. The centralshaft of the upper section 9 of the tower/driveshaft is retained, withthe torque being substantially transmitted thereby. The key differenceof this embodiment from the previous one is that the linear continuityof the tower/driveshaft is broken by directionally flexible rotationalcoupling means 63, here comprising a universal joint, and that eachrotor is rotationally coupled to the shaft 9 by a tilting hub 48,allowing it freedom to tilt in relation to the shaft. The directionalflexibility that this universal joint 63 provides for the upper section9 of the tower/driveshaft, relative to the armature means 16, is matchedby the directional flexibility afforded to each rotor relative to theupper section 9 of the tower/driveshaft, by the tilting hubs 48. The netresult is that the column of buoyant, rotating, horizontal axis typeblades may be “flown” in the manner of a stack of kites, with thearmature 16 acting as a yoke to control the angle of attack that therotors 13 present to the wind. This angle of attack may be biased in anydirection, independent of the direction of projection of thetower/driveshaft, within the degree of freedom allowed by the universaljoint 63, and the tilting hubs 48. Since the tower/driveshaft is notheld up by its own stiffness, but rather by buoyant and/or aerodynamicforces, the lower section 7 of the tower/driveshaft therefore exertsless radial loading on the cantilevered bearing means 5, which allowsthat bearing means to be less robust. Note that in this embodiment, theupper section 9 of the tower/driveshaft is co-rotational, but notstrictly coaxial with the load, projecting at an angle thereto, whilethe rotors are also co-rotational with the load, with their axes ofrotation being substantially parallel to that of the armature, which inthis case is the same as that of the load.

71. FIGS. 94 and 95 The seventy-first embodiment is similar to theprevious embodiment, with the angle of the armature 16 determining theangle of attack of the buoyant, horizontal axis rotors 13 through linearlashing means 20, except that here the load 6 is coaxial with the uppersection 9 of the tower/driveshaft, with the angle between the rotationalaxis of the armature 16 and the tower/driveshaft being accomplished by adirectionally flexible non-rotating coupling means 64, which asillustrated appears similar to the universal joint 63 of the previousembodiment, but is non-rotating, and therefore is subject to less wearand energy loss through friction. This directionally flexiblenon-rotating coupling means 64 supports a non-rotating load mount means65, providing a rotationally stable, directionally flexible mountingmeans for the load 6. So the load is allowed to follow the direction ofthe tower/driveshaft and remains coaxial thereto.

Looking somewhat like, and serving part of the function of, the lowersection 7 of the tower/driveshaft of other embodiments, is the bearingsupport means 4, herein illustrated as a simple post projecting from thegimbal mount 60. The armature rotational bearing means 70 is retained bybearing support means 4, and supports the armature 16 in a rotationallyfree, yet angularly definitive manner. The angle at which the armaturerotates is then influenced by directional bias means 61, which controlsthe directional orientation of the non-rotating directionally compliantmounting means 60 (the gimbal mount). This bearing support means 4 doesnot rotate, but extends entirely through the armature bearing 70, thenforming a non-rotating point of attachment for the directionallyflexible non-rotating coupling means 64, supporting non-rotating mountmeans 65, for mounting the load 6. The resulting fluent power is drawnoff by means of continuous power conduit means 66, which is convenientlyrouted down the center of the mounting means 4, which penetrates thearmature bearing 70. Here the load is a generator, so the conduit means66 is an electric cable.

The directionally flexible non-rotating coupling means 64 of thisembodiment has less friction, and is therefore more efficient, andrequires less maintenance than the directionally flexible rotationalcoupling means 63 of the previous embodiment.

While buoyant rotors are shown, since they allow the structure to remainaloft during periods of low or no wind, non-buoyant rotors could also beused, within the scope of this embodiment.

72. FIGS. 96 and 97 This seventy-second embodiment is similar to theseventieth embodiment, comprising a directionally compliant non-rotatingsupport means 60 (gimbal mount), provided with means for directionalbias 61, causing an attached rotating armature 16 to steer and affectthe angle of attack, as well as the horizontal angle, of the buoyanthorizontal axis type rotors 13 through a linear means. The directionallyflexible rotational coupling means 63, here shown as a simple universaljoint, allows angular freedom between the upper section 9 of thetower/driveshaft and the axis of rotation of the armature 16. And thetilting hubs allow angular freedom between this upper section 9 and theattached horizontal axis rotors 13. The linear lashing means 20 of theseventieth embodiment is replaced by linear vertical axis type blades41, which not only act to connect the arms of the armature 16 with thetips of the horizontal axis type rotor blades 12, thereby allowing thearmature 16 to affect the angle of attack of each horizontal axis rotor13, but also act to aerodynamically contribute to the rotation of thetower/driveshaft as a whole, by harvesting wind energy as vertical axistype rotor blades. Even though the vertical axis type blades 41 are notstrictly vertical, but are at the same angle to vertical as is the uppersection 9 of the central shaft, their direction of travel is morehorizontal than their direction of projection, being substantiallyparallel to the plane of rotation of the armature 16. These verticalaxis type blades 41 may also be buoyant, filled with a lighter than airgas, to help elevate the structure. Torque is transmitted down thelength of the central shaft comprising the upper section 9 of thetower/driveshaft. The vertical axis type rotors 41 are illustrated ashaving a break at each horizontal axis rotor. They could equally well beconfigured as continuous, unbroken, very long blades, (see FIG. 100)having the stiffness lent by that continuity. Therefore, torque may alsobe transmitted, or partially transmitted by the vertical axis rotors 41,either through their stiffness, through simple tension, or both. If thevertical axis type rotors have sufficient strength, the central shaft ofthe upper section 9 of the tower/driveshaft may be omitted, within thescope of this embodiment.

73. FIG. 98: This seventy-third embodiment is similar to the previous,seventy-second embodiment, having buoyant horizontal axis rotors mountedon tilting hubs 48, controlled by a tilting armature 16, throughelongate vertical axis type blades 41, which may be substantiallycontinuous, running from tip to tip of the horizontal axis rotors 13.The difference in this embodiment is that torque is transmitted bytorque transmission lashing means 18, which wraps helically from bottomto top in the direction of rotation, running substantially from tip totip of the horizontal axis type rotor blades 12.

When tilted relative to the shaft, the axes of rotation of thehorizontal axis rotors are mutually parallel, but offset from oneanother. As the rotors turn simultaneously, the distance from the tip ofone rotor, to the next sequential tip, in the direction of rotation, ofthe next rotor, will vary, with the magnitude of variance dependent onthe angle of tilt. To maintain a stable configuration, it is desirablethat the torque transmission lashing 18 be able to vary in length, whilemaintaining tension, as it completes each revolution, in order toaccommodate this constantly changing distance. Therefore each torquetransmission lashing means 18 is provided with slack uptake means 59here comprising an elastic or resilient spring, to accomplish thisadjustment in length, while maintaining tension. This allows the othercomponents to more closely maintain their original configuration as theyrotate, since their need to deform in order to accommodate the changingconfiguration as the shaft rotates is reduced.

74. FIG. 99 This seventy-fourth embodiment is similar to the previous,seventy-third embodiment, having horizontal axis type rotors 13 withbuoyant blades, with elongate vertical axis blades 41 extendinglongitudinally from blade tip to blade tip of the horizontal axis rotors13, connecting sequentially to each, and is likewise provided with atorque transmission lashing means 18, which wraps helically from bottomto top in the direction of rotation. In this embodiment however, all ofthe rotor blades, including both horizontal and vertical axis blades,comprise lightweight, inflated structures. Optimally, they are buoyant,meaning for atmospheric use on Earth that they are inflated with heliumand/or hydrogen. (For aquatic use, they need be less dense than water,etc.) This buoyancy helps to maintain the altitude of thetower/driveshaft 10 structure during use, augmenting any overall liftprovided by the wind, and allows this structure to conveniently remainairborne during periods of low or no wind. There is no central shaft inthis embodiment, to save weight, with the configuration being naturallystable in a downwind orientation, held in shape by its bouyancy, therigidity of the rotor blades, the force of the wind, and tension on thelashing. The non-rotating directionally compliant support means (gimbalmounting frame) 60 allows the armature 16 to track the downwind assemblyof blades and lashing that comprises the tower/driveshaft. Theoptionally included directional bias means 61 may be used to exert somecontrol over the angular orientation of the horizontal axis type rotors.The torque transmission lashing 18 may optionally be provided with slackuptake means 59, as in the previous embodiment.

75. FIG. 100 The seventy-fifth embodiment is similar to the previous,seventy-fourth embodiment, but with the inclusion of the central shaftcomprising the upper section 9 of the tower/driveshaft, and no torquetransmission shown, though such could optionally be included within thescope of this embodiment. As in the previous embodiment, buoyant,elongate vertical axis type blades 41 extend longitudinally from bladetip to blade tip of the horizontal axis rotors 13, also having buoyantblades, terminating at an armature means 16. Without such lashing, thetorque is transmitted by the central shaft of the upper section 9, bythe elongate vertical axis type blades 41, or by a combination of both.Any torque transmission along the vertical axis type blades may bethrough simple tension, through the rigidity of the elongate blades 41,or by a combination of both.

76. FIG. 101 This seventy-sixth embodiment is similar to theseventy-fourth and seventy-fifth embodiments, having horizontal axistype rotors 13 with buoyant blades, with buoyant elongate vertical axistype blades 41 extending longitudinally from blade tip to blade tip ofthe horizontal axis rotors 13. Therefore, for atmospheric use, all ofthe rotor blades, including both horizontal and vertical axis blades,comprise lightweight, inflated structures, filled with H or He. In thisembodiment, however, there is no torque transmission lashing, butinstead, the elongate vertical axis blades 42 wrap in a helicalconfiguration, from bottom to top in the direction of rotation, likethose of the thirty-seventh embodiment, or like the helical lashingmeans 18 of previous embodiments, helping to transmit torque downward intension. This helical deployment may be preconfigured, may be caused tooccur due to the aerodynamic forces that naturally tend to twist thestructure, or some combination of both. As in previous embodiments,these vertical axis type blades, being helically wrapped, and thereforemeeting the oncoming wind at an angle, nevertheless serveaerodynamically to help the structure rotate, in a manner similar to theblades of a Darrieus type wind turbine. Note that the downwind helicalconfiguration of these vertical axis blades may also cause certainaerodynamic forces to be generated in the fashion of a simpleArchimedian screw, and that, due to the direction in which theyhelically wrap around the tower/driveshaft, any such forces in thisembodiment will be counter to the direction of rotation.

77. FIG. 102 This seventy-seventh embodiment is similar to the previous,seventy-sixth embodiment, having buoyant, helically wrapped, verticalaxis type blades 43, connecting the tips of buoyant, horizontal axistype rotor blades, except that in this embodiment, they wrap in theopposite direction, running from top to bottom in the direction ofrotation, as in the thirty-eighth embodiment. As in the seventy-fourthembodiment, helical torque transmission lashing means 18 serves totransmit torque downward to the armature means 16. This configuration ofthe tower/driveshaft is essentially the structure of the thirty-ninthembodiment, in an inflated, buoyant form; The entire structure of thetower/driveshaft floats, or is at least made significantly lighter dueto this inflated construction. Note that the downwind helicalconfiguration of these vertical axis blades 43 may also cause certainaerodynamic forces to be generated in the fashion of a simpleArchimedian screw, and that, due to the direction in which theyhelically wrap around the tower/driveshaft, any such forces in thisembodiment will be in the direction of rotation, helping to turn theshaft.

78. FIG. 103 This seventy-eighth embodiment is similar to theseventy-sixth embodiment, having buoyant, vertical axis type blades 42,helically wrapped from bottom to top in the direction of rotation,sequentially connecting the tips of buoyant, horizontal axis type rotor13 blades, but with the inclusion of the central shaft of the uppersection 9 of the tower/driveshaft, as in the seventy-fifth embodiment.

79. FIG. 104 This seventy-ninth embodiment is similar to theseventy-seventh embodiment, having buoyant, vertical axis type blades43, helically wrapped from top to bottom in the direction of rotation,sequentially connecting the tips of buoyant, horizontal axis type rotor13 blades, also including helically wrapped torque transmission lashing18, but with the inclusion of the central shaft of the upper section 9of the tower/driveshaft, as in the seventy-fifth embodiment, to helpstabilize the configuration.

80. FIG. 105 This eightieth embodiment is a combination of theseventy-seventh, and seventy-sixth embodiments, having buoyant verticalaxis type blades, 42 and 43, helically wrapped in both directions,connecting the blade tips of the buoyant, horizontal axis rotors 13,altogether forming a buoyant, inflated, latticework structure, everycomponent of which serves an aerodynamic function, contributing to therotation of the structure as a whole.

81. Not Illustrated This eighty-first embodiment is similar to theprevious embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 105, but with the inclusion ofthe central shaft of the upper section 9 of the tower/driveshaft. Thisupper section 9 of the tower/driveshaft, including all horizontal andvertical axis blades, comprises a buoyant, inflated version oftower/driveshaft of the fortieth embodiment.

It is obvious that many variations and combinations of the featuresdisclosed in the above embodiments may prove effective, such spacing thetails further apart than one for every rotor, multiple lifting bodiesspaced at intervals along the shaft, etc. Other modifications of thepresent invention will occur to those skilled in the art, and as suchthe scope of the present invention should not be limited by the detailsof the above disclosure, but should be interpreted from the broadestmeaning of the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A fluid current motor for extracting energy, inthe form of shaft rotation capable of driving a load, from a fluid flowrelative to a surface, comprising: a resiliently flexibletower/driveshaft having a stiffness, having a.basal end and a distalend, said tower/driveshaft projecting from substantially proximate saidsurface, substantially proximate said basal end, substantially away fromsaid surface; a cantilevered bearing means which rotatably supports saidtower/driveshaft, in a cantilevered manner, substantially from saidbasal end; a multiplicity of fluid reactive rotors, coaxially attachedat spaced intervals to a section of said tower/driveshaft; wherein: saidtower/driveshaft is caused by said fluid flow and gravity to bend alongat least a portion of its length in a generally downstream direction;whereby: due to said bending, said section is caused to becomesufficiently properly oriented to said fluid flow that said rotors arecaused by said fluid flow to rotate, thereby causing thetower/driveshaft to rotate, along its entire length, however it maybend, so that useful power in the form of shaft rotation is drawntherefrom, proximate said basal end.
 2. The fluid current motor in claim1, wherein said rotors comprise horizontal axis type rotors.
 3. Thefluid current motor of claim 2, additionally comprising means forinfluencing the angular orientation relative to said fluid flow, of saidhorizontal axis type rotors.
 4. The fluid current motor of claim 3,where said means for influencing the angular orientation relative tosaid fluid flow, of said horizontal axis type rotors comprises adownwind tail means.
 5. The fluid current motor of claim 2, wherein saidcantilevered bearing means comprises a substantially prior art verticalaxis windmill.
 6. The fluid current motor of claim 1, wherein saidrotors comprise vertical axis type rotors.
 7. The fluid current motor ofclaim 6, wherein said vertical axis type rotors comprise blades that areconnected, end to end, forming elongate blades, longitudinally extendingalong said section of said tower/driveshaft.
 8. The fluid current motorof claim 6, wherein said vertical axis type rotors comprise blades thatare connected, end to end, forming elongate blades, helically extendingalong said section of said tower/driveshaft.
 9. The fluid current motorof claim 6, wherein said section of said tower/driveshaft comprises adistal section that hangs substantially downward.
 10. The fluid currentmotor of claim 1, wherein said rotors comprise both horizontal axis typerotors and vertical axis type rotors.
 11. The fluid current motor ofclaim 10, wherein said horizontal axis rotors serve as armature means bywhich said vertical axis type rotors are attached to saidtower/driveshaft.
 12. The fluid current motor of claim 1, wherein saidrotors serve to structurally comprise said tower/driveshaft, in additionto their fluid reactive function.
 13. The fluid current motor of claim1, wherein said rotors have positive buoyancy in the fluid of said fluidflow, with which they react, with said buoyancy acting to counter theforce of gravity on said rotors, thereby helping to maintain clearancefrom said surface.
 14. The fluid current motor of claim 1, furthercomprising a substantially non-rotating lifting body, attached to saidtower/driveshaft, wherein said lifting body helps to elevate someportion of said tower/driveshaft.
 15. The fluid current motor of claim1, further comprising lashing means between rotors.
 16. The windmill ofclaim 1 further comprising: a control means; linkage means generallyattaching said control means to said rotors; whereby the angularorientation of said rotors, relative to said fluid flow, may beinfluenced by said control means.
 17. A floating marine wind turbineinstallation, comprising: at least one horizontal axis type rotor; atower/driveshaft, that rotates in its entirety, as a unit, having abasal end, and an upper section; a base, comprising; an upper end, alower end, a floatation means, a downward force means, a base rotationresistance means, a load, and a cantilevered bearing means: wherein:said horizontal axis type rotor is substantially coaxially mounted to,and rotationally coupled to, said upper section of saidtower/driveshaft: said floatation means acts to push said tipper end ofsaid base upward, and; said downward force means acts to pull said lowerend of said base downward; whereby said base is maintained in agenerally upright orientation; said cantilevered bearing means supportssaid tower/driveshaft, substantially from said basal end, in acantilevered, rotationally free manner, whereby said tower/driveshaftprojects substantially upward from said base; whereby the detentposition of said upper section of said tower/driveshaft having saidattached rotor is to be aimed substantially straight upward, subject tomodification by the forces of the wind and gravity thereupon; said loadis rotationally coupled to said tower/driveshaft; whereby: saidhorizontal axis rotor, and said tipper section, are blown in a downwinddirection; whereby said upper section, where said horizontal axis typerotor is attached, is caused to become sufficiently parallel to the windthat said horizontal axis type rotor is caused thereby to rotate; saidrotor causing said tower/driveshaft to rotate; said rotatingtower/driveshaft driving said load; said base rotation resistance meansacting to counter the torque of the rotating tower/driveshaft,substantially preventing said base from rotating along with saidtower/driveshaft.
 18. The floating marine wind turbine installation ofclaim 17, wherein said downward force means comprises a ballastcounterweight means.
 19. The floating marine wind turbine installationof claim 18, wherein: said base means comprises a section of saidtower/driveshaft proximate said basal end; said tower/driveshaft,proximate said basal end, comprises said floatation means, wherein saidfloatation means rotates along with said tower/driveshaft: saidtower/driveshaft, proximate said basal end, and below said floatationmeans, comprises said ballast counterweight means, wherein said ballastcounterweight means rotates along with said tower/driveshaft; saidcantilevered bearing means comprises the liquid interface between saidrotating section of said tower/driveshaft, proximate said basal end,comprising said rotating floatation and ballast counterweight means, andthe surrounding water; said load is driven by said rotatingtower/driveshaft, proximate said basal end; said base rotationresistance means is affixed to a substantially non-rotating portion ofsaid load, acting to counter the torque of the rotatingtower/driveshaft, substantially preventing said non-rotating portion ofsaid load from rotating, to prevent said load from simply rotating inits entirety along with said tower/driveshaft.
 20. The floating marinewind turbine installation of claim 17, wherein said downward force meanscomprises a mooring means.
 21. The floating marine wind turbineinstallation of claim 17, wherein said base rotation resistance meanscomprises a mooring means.
 22. The floating marine wind turbineinstallation of claim 17, wherein; said base comprises a boat; saidupper end comprises the deck, or top side of the boat; said lower endcomprises the hull, or bottom side of the boat; and said base rotationresistance means comprises the hull, as influenced by the surroundingwater.
 23. A new type of windmill, comprising: a base means comprising:a mounting means, for being supported proximate a surface; a rigidbearing support means, attached to said mounting means; a cantileveredbearing means, securely retained by said rigid bearing support means; aresiliently flexible tower/driveshaft, having a basal end, saidtower/driveshaft being supported, proximate said basal end, in acantilevered, rotationally free manner, by said cantilevered bearingmeans, and projecting upward therefrom, the detent shape of saidtower/driveshaft being substantially straight; a fluid reactive rotor,coaxially mounted to said tower/driveshaft, at some distance from saidbasal end; wherein said tower/driveshaft is caused by gravity, and theforce of the wind, to bend over in a gene rally downwind direction;whereby, due to said bending, said rotor is caused to becomesufficiently properly aligned with the wind to be caused thereby toundergo rotation, causing said tower/driveshaft to rotate, along itsentire length, however it may bend, whereby useful power, in the form ofshaft rotation, is extracted from said basal end.
 24. The windmill ofclaim 23, wherein said cantilevered bearing means comprises; twobearings, spaced apart, one substantially above the other, rigidlymounted to said bearing support means, a rigid, substantially verticalaxle, rotatably supported by said bearings; wherein saidtower/driveshaft is rotationally coupled to, and supported in acantilevered manner by, said rigid axle, extending upward therefrom. 25.The windmill of claim 24, wherein said bearing support means comprises asubstantially vertical tube.
 26. The windmill of claim 23, wherein saidcantilevered bearing means is located substantially below the surface.27. The windmill of claim 23, wherein said rigid bearing support meansis embedded within said mounting means.
 28. The windmill of claim 23,wherein said rotor comprises a horizontal axis type rotor.
 29. Thewindmill of claim 28, wherein said horizontal axis type rotor issubstantially rigid.
 30. The windmill of claim 23, wherein said rotorcomprises a vertical axis type rotor, attached to a distal section ofsaid tower/driveshaft that hangs substantially downward.
 31. A windmill,comprising: a tower/driveshaft; a multiplicity of horizontal axis typerotors, coaxially mounted at spaced intervals to a section of saidtower/driveshaft, rotationally coupled thereto; a cantilevered bearingmeans, supporting said tower/driveshaft with rotational freedom, wherebysaid tower/driveshaft projects substantially upward from saidcantilevered bearing means; a base, to generally support said windmill;a directionally compliant means; wherein: said directionally compliantmeans allows said section of said tower/driveshaft, and said attachedrotors, to be caused by the force of the wind to be blown to asubstantially downwind position, relative to said base; whereby: saidsection of said tower/driveshaft is caused to become aimed in adirection that is sufficiently parallel to the wind that said coaxiallymounted horizontal axis type rotors are caused to become sufficientlyproperly oriented to the wind that they are caused thereby to undergorotation; said rotation of said rotors causing said tower/driveshaft toundergo rotation; whereby useful power, in the form of shaft rotation,is drawn from said rotating tower/driveshaft proximate said base. 32.The windmill of claim 31, wherein a portion of said tower/driveshaftcomprises resiliently flexible properties, with said portion having saidresiliently flexible properties comprising said directionally compliantmeans.
 33. The windmill of claim 31, wherein said directionallycompliant means comprises a retaining interface linking saidcantilevered bearing means to said base, thereby supporting saidcantilevered bearing means therefrom in a substantially directionallycompliant manner.
 34. The windmill in claim 33, wherein saiddirectionally compliant means comprises a resiliently flexible linkagebetween said base and said cantilevered bearing means.
 35. The windmillof claim 33, wherein said directionally compliant means comprises ahorizontally rotatable base means.
 36. A fluid reactive motor,comprising: a rotor, substantially having a longitudinal axis ofrotation, said axis being oriented substantially perpendicular to theflow of a fluid; wherein: said rotor comprises a substantiallycylindrical tube, said cylindrical tube comprised of an open latticeworkstructure comprising a geometric pattern of interconnected struts; thoseof said struts not perpendicular to said axis being aerodynamicallyshaped and disposed to function as fluid reactive blades, operating onthe Darrieus principle, to impart rotation to said rotor, substantiallyabout said axis of rotation.
 37. The fluid reactive motor of claim 36,wherein said geometric pattern comprises a repeating pattern ofpolygons.
 38. The fluid reactive motor of claim 37, wherein said patternis a mesh, and said polygons comprise triangles.
 39. The fluid reactivemotor of claim 37, wherein said pattern is a mesh, and said polygonscomprise four-sided polygons.
 40. The fluid reactive motor of claim 37,wherein said pattern is a mesh, and said polygons comprise hexagons. 41.The fluid reactive motor of claim 36, further comprising horizontal axistype fluid reactive blades, shaped and disposed so as to help to impartrotation to said rotor.
 42. The fluid reactive motor of claim 41,wherein said horizontal axis type blades serve as armature meansconnecting to said open latticework structure comprising saidcylindrical tube.
 43. The fluid reactive motor of claim 41, wherein saidhorizontal axis type blades comprise rotors, coaxially attached atspaced intervals to a resiliently flexible shaft, said shaft coaxiallyprojecting from said cylindrical tube.
 44. A fluid reactive rotor forproviding a tractive force for a fluid borne vehicle, comprising: aresiliently flexible shaft, having a basal end, and a longitudinal axis;a multiplicity of propeller type rotors, coaxially attached, androtationally coupled, to said shaft, at spaced intervals along saidshaft; wherein: said spaced intervals being of sufficient distance toallow sufficient intermixture of substantially undisturbed fluid withthe downstream effluent of each said rotor, before that effluentencounters the next said rotor, to sufficiently dilute said effluent,whereby each of said rotors interacts with a substantial proportion ofundisturbed fluid; said propeller type rotors being shaped and disposedto exert a pulling force, when undergoing rotation, on said shaft, in adirection substantially away from said basal end; whereby, when saidshaft is projected from proximate said vehicle into said fluid,substantially from said basal end, and caused to rotate about its ownsaid longitudinal axis, said rotors are caused thereby to exert asufficient force on said vehicle to influence its position relative saidfluid.
 45. A windmill for extracting power from wind, comprising: a basemeans, said base means comprising a bearing means and a load; anelongate torque transmission means, having a longitudinal axis ofrotation and generally having two ends; a horizontal axis type rotor,having an axis of rotation; said rotor comprising atmosphericallybuoyant blades having a positive buoyancy, said buoyancy of said bladesserving to elevate said rotor; wherein: said elongate torquetransmission means is retained with rotational freedom proximate onesaid end by said bearing means; said elongate torque transmission meansis rotationally coupled to said load; said horizontal axis type rotor iscoaxially attached to said elongate torque transmission means at somedistance from said one end; whereby: said elongate torque transmissionmeans substantially extends from said base means to said rotor; saidrotor is blown downwind of said base means; said axis of rotation ofsaid rotor is thereby caused to become aimed sufficiently parallel tothe wind that said rotor is caused thereby to rotate; said rotation ofsaid horizontal ax is type rotor causes said elongate torquetransmission means to rotate about its own said longitudinal axis ofrotation; said load is driven by said rotation of said elongate torquetransmission means.
 46. The windmill of claim 45, wherein said elongatetorque transmission means comprises a lashing means, connecting to theblades of said rotor.
 47. The windmill of claim 45, additionallycomprising vertical axis type rotor blades.
 48. The windmill of claim47, wherein said vertical axis type rotor blades are atmosphericallybuoyant, having a positive buoyancy, serving to elevate them.
 49. Thewindmill of claim 47, wherein said vertical axis type rotor blades areconnected to said horizontal axis type blades.
 50. The windmill of claim45, further comprising: an adjustable yoke means proximate said base;linkage means attaching said yoke means to said rotor; whereby theangular orientation of said rotor, relative to said wind, may beinfluenced by said yoke means.
 51. The windmill of claim 50, furthercomprising a multiplicity of horizontal ax is type rotors, saidhorizontal axis type rotors coaxially attached at spaced intervals tosaid elongate torque transmission means at some distance from said oneend; whereby the angular orientation of said rotors, relative to saidwind, may be influenced by said yoke means.
 52. The windmill of claim45, further comprising: an adjustable control means; linkage meansattaching said control means to said rotor; whereby the angularorientation of said rotor, relative to said wind, may be influenced bysaid control means.
 53. A windmill comprising: a base means, said basemeans comprising a first bearing means and a load; an elongate torquetransmission means, having a longitudinal axis of rotation and generallyhaving a basal end and a distal end; a horizontal axis type rotor,having an axis of rotation; a substantially non-rotating atmosphericallybuoyant lifting body having a positive buoyancy, and further having asecond bearing means; wherein: said elongate torque transmission meansis retained with rotational freedom proximate said basal end by saidfirst bearing means; said elongate torque transmission means is retainedwith rotational freedom proximate said distal end by said second bearingmeans, whereby said elongate torque transmission means is suspended fromsaid lifting body, said buoyancy of said lifting body serving to elevatesaid rotor and at least a portion of said elongate torque transmissionmeans; said elongate torque transmission means is rotationally coupledto said load; said horizontal axis type rotor is coaxially attached tosaid elongate torque transmission means at some distance from said basalend; whereby: said elongate torque transmission means substantiallyextends from said base means to said rotor; said lifting body and saidrotor are blown downwind of said base means; said axis of rotation ofsaid rotor is thereby caused to become aimed sufficiently parallel tothe wind that said rotor is caused thereby to rotate; said rotation ofsaid horizontal axis type rotor causes said elongate torque transmissionmeans to rotate about its own said longitudinal axis of rotation; saidload is driven by said rotation of said elongate torque transmissionmeans.
 54. The wind turbine of claim 53, further comprising amultiplicity of horizontal axis type rotors coaxially attached at spacedintervals to said elongate torque transmission means.
 55. The windmillof claim 53, further comprising: an adjustable control means; linkagemeans attaching said control means to said rotor; whereby the angularorientation of said rotor, relative to said wind, may be influenced bysaid control means.
 56. A windmill comprising: a base means, said basemeans comprising a first bearing means and a load; an elongate torquetransmission means, having a longitudinal axis of rotation and generallyhaving a basal end and a distal end; a horizontal axis type rotor,having an axis of rotation; a substantially non-rotating aerodynamiclifting body having aerodynamic lift, and further having a secondbearing means; wherein: said elongate torque transmission means isretained with rotational freedom proximate said basal end by said firstbearing means; said elongate torque transmission means is retained withrotational freedom proximate said distal end by said second bearingmeans, whereby said elongate torque transmission means is suspended fromsaid lifting body, said aerodynamic lift of said lifting body serving toelevate said rotor and at least a portion of said elongate torquetransmission means; said elongate torque transmission means isrotationally coupled to said load; said horizontal axis type rotor iscoaxially attached to said elongate torque transmission means at somedistance from said basal end; whereby; said elongate torque transmissionmeans substantially extends from said base means to said rotor; saidlifting body and said rotor are blown downwind of said base means; saidaxis of rotation of said rotor is thereby caused to become aimedsufficiently parallel to the wind that said rotor is caused thereby torotate; said rotation of said horizontal axis type rotor causes saidelongate torque transmission means to rotate about its own saidlongitudinal axis of rotation; said load is driven by said rotation ofsaid elongate torque transmission means.
 57. The windmill of claim 56,further comprising a multiplicity of horizontal axis type rotorscoaxially attached at spaced intervals to said elongate torquetransmission means.
 58. The windmill of claim 56, where in saidsubstantially non-rotating aerodynamic lifting body is alsoatmospherically buoyant, having a positive buoyancy in the air.
 59. Thewindmill of claim 56, further comprising: an adjustable control means;linkage means attaching said control means to said rotor; whereby theangular orientation of said rotor, relative to said wind, may beinfluenced by said control means.
 60. The windmill of claim 59, furthercomprising a multiplicity of horizontal axis type rotors, saidhorizontal axis type rotors coaxially attached at spaced intervals tosaid elongate torque transmission means at some distance from said oneend; whereby the angular orientation of said rotors, relative to saidwind, may be influenced by said yoke means.
 61. The windmill of claim55, further comprising a multiplicity of horizontal axis type rotors,said horizontal axis type rotors coaxially attached at spaced intervalsto said elongate torque transmission means at some distance from saidone end; whereby the angular orientation of said rotors, relative tosaid wind, may be influenced by said yoke means.
 62. A wind turbinecomprising hollow blades filled with an atmospherically buoyant gas. 63.The wind turbine of claim 62, wherein said gas is selected from thegroup consisting of hydrogen and helium.